Anestis and Anestis - American Journal of Public Health, 2015, “Suicide Rates and State Laws Regulating Access and Exposure to Handguns” - http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302753
- “Results indicated that states with a law in place that required a waiting period for the completion of handgun sales exhibited a lower overall suicide rate...lower firearms suicide rate...and a lower proportion of suicide deaths resulting from firearms.”
- “Furthermore, in the 11 states in which waiting periods were required, the length of the waiting period was significantly correlated with the firearm suicide rate”
Comments from Med Students 4 Mental Health: This commentary by Lewiecki and Miller reviews firearm-related suicide and recommends continued evaluation of measures such as waiting periods for reducing such deaths. The article highlights several studies, emphasizing the need for more research regarding the efficacy of waiting periods as well as the need for immediate action and implementation of measures to reduce impulsive suicide. This presents an inherent conflict between needing to act as soon as possible and needing more information in order to act with complete confidence. We are bound by a duty to make well-informed decisions as well as a duty to protect safety and prevent senseless loss of life. These societal obligations are somewhat at odds here. It is natural to want to have all of the necessary information before deciding to make policy changes or otherwise implement safety measures, but for dangerous issues like firearms and suicide, the cost of standing by and waiting to accumulate a complete data set may be too great to bear. As Lewieki and Miller suggest, implementation of measures like waiting periods is a simple way to potentially improve safety in the now as we continue to modify and develop robust strategies to further improve safety in the future. Measures such as these are part of responsible gun ownership and are of mere inconvenience, especially when compared to the heavy cost of preventable suicide, making for a favorable cost-benefit analysis:
“The public health benefit of preventing deaths due to impulsive suicide far outweighs the minimal inconvenience to those who do not intend to harm themselves or others.”