A SECOND OPINION
This space is for our physician members to speak their minds freely on both medical or non-medical issues of the day and respond to the opinions of others . The GLMS Editorial Board reserves the right to choose what will be published . Please note that the views expressed in A Second Opinion or any other article in this publication are not those of the Greater Louisville Medical Society or Louisville Medicine .
Gun Violence : A Public Health Crisis Requiring Physician Leadership and Urgent Action
by GORDON TOBIN , MD
Physician stewardship of health involves both individual patient care and public health leadership . The current epidemic of gun violence , mass shootings and school invasions have become a Kentucky and American public health crisis , which requires urgent legislative action . The assault-rifle mass killings of three school children and three teachers in Nashville on March 27 , 2023 , and the assault-rifle mass killings of five bank employees in Louisville on April 10 , 2023 , with others gravely injured ( including a police officer in critical condition ), are two local examples of this national crisis . Just after the Louisville bank shootings , 24-year-old Chea ’ von Moore was shot and killed at the Jefferson Community & Technical College campus . Within the following week , two more Louisvillians were shot and killed while enjoying a spring outing in Chickasaw Park .
These local tragedies illustrate the current , escalating gun violence epidemic and public health crisis across America . Over 330 Americans are shot daily , with over 110 of them killed . Gun violence has now become the most common cause of death for American children . This American shooting and death rate is exponentially greater than any other advanced-economy country in the world . 1
The thoughts and prayers offered by so many are heartfelt , but must engender focused action and legislation to become truly meaningful . Dr . Jason Smith , University of Louisville Health Chief Medical Officer , citing the almost daily gun injuries coming to UofL Hospital , has pleaded for legislators to “ Do something .” ( Fig . 1 ) Led by community leader , Christina Lee Brown , a host of supporters have called for “ immediate action .” Another leader , Dr . Muhammad Babar , has called for moving beyond thoughts and prayers to effective action .
Therefore , I judge that the first set of actions that we should immediately advocate is legislation to address the mass shootings in schools , workplaces and social gatherings , where semiautomatic assault rifles ( war weapons , such as the AR-15 and AK-47 , designed solely for killing humans ) wielded by disturbed individuals are overwhelmingly involved . America lacks control of these war weapons , and Kentucky lacks effective background checks and “ red flag ” laws to protect our school children , citizens and law enforcement officers .
Specifically , Kentucky physicians and their allies must immediately pursue putting before the Kentucky Legislature the following legislation , starting with a ban on all assault ( semiautomatic ) rifles , high-capacity magazines , rapid-fire enhancements ( e . g ., “ bump stocks ”), silencers and guns without serial numbers ( e . g ., “ ghost ” and 3D printed guns ). Next , we must require universal background
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