U.S. Surgeon General Declares Gun Violence a Public Health Crisis

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent The U.S. Surgeon General has declared firearm violence a public health crisis, warning of its severe impact on both physical and mental health across the nation. In a landmark advisory issued Tuesday, June 25, Dr. Vivek Murthy emphasized that gun violence poses a “serious threat to the health and well-being of our country.” This is the first time the government’s leading public health body has focused directly on gun violence.“As a doctor, I’ve seen the consequences of firearm violence up close in the lives of the patients I’ve cared for over the years,” Murthy stated in a video message. “These are moms and dads, sons and daughters, all of whom were robbed of their physical and mental health by senseless acts of violence.” The advisory highlights alarming statistics, revealing that firearm-related deaths in 2021 reached a near three-decade high due to increases in both gun homicides and suicides. In 2022, 48,204 people died from firearm-related injuries, with suicides accounting for 56.1% and homicides accounting for about 40% of these deaths. “The problem has continued to grow,” Murthy noted, referencing data showing that 54% of U.S. adults have experienced a firearm-related incident....