A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics reveals that U.S. states with relaxed firearm laws have experienced a sharp rise in child gun deaths over the past 13 years.
Key Findings
States including Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, and Georgia saw notable increases in pediatric firearm deaths after loosening gun laws in the wake of the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in McDonald v. City of Chicago, which extended Second Amendment protections to state and local jurisdictions.
Researchers analyzed data from 2000–2023 using CDC records, comparing gun deaths in children before and after the ruling.
An additional 7,398 youth deaths were recorded in the period following the legal changes, with a total of 23,000 gun-related fatalities among children during the study period.
Gun Laws and Death Rates
The study grouped states into three categories—most permissive, permissive, and strict—based on changes to firearm legislation since 2010.
In states with the strictest gun laws, such as California, New York, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Massachusetts, child gun deaths remained stable or decreased. California, for example, saw a 40% drop in pediatric firearm fatalities.
In contrast, states with the most permissive laws saw sharp increases in gun-related deaths by both homicide and suicide, especially among Black youth.
Expert Reactions
Lead author Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, said the findings highlight the role of legal frameworks in public health outcomes. “This can be fixed,” Faust emphasized. “States should ask what they are willing to do to save lives.”
Gun safety advocates echoed the message. Emma Brown, executive director of Giffords, noted: “Guns are the leading cause of death for kids in the U.S., and now more kids are dying because some states prioritize gun industry profits over public safety.”
The Takeaway
While safe storage of firearms is crucial, the study underscores that stricter state gun laws are strongly associated with fewer child deaths. Researchers and advocates are urging lawmakers to reconsider firearm legislation to protect young lives.
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