Safety and knowledge of legal issues is vital. Few people will have difficulty pulling the trigger if a serious threat exists, but we preach it isn't all guns and bullets. It is a case of knowing WHEN to pull the trigger. You must know a wide range of issues to use self-defense. It is very restrictive and the fingers of the law will reach for you if you use lethal force.
Guns require more than average concern for safety and use.
They require you to put out the money and the effort to practice and obtain the knowledge to use them. One study claims the average gun owner fires less than one box of ammunition a year. I am sure that is true and may be less. If you want to buy a gun and put it in a drawer and leave it there, you should buy a large dog. I tell new shooters that at least ONCE per month is not unreasonable.