In recent years, however, the tide has begun to turn. Fewer teens are carrying guns now, and gun-related murders and suicides have begun to decline. Even so, too many teens still illegally carry guns and harm others and themselves. Access to Guns Federal law makes it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to have a handgun, yet teens have little difficulty in getting them. Some get guns from their friends, while others borrow, buy, or steal them.
Many teens take guns from their own homes.
In one recent survey, almost one quarter of teens said that they had easy access to guns at home. That survey also found that teens living in homes with guns are more likely to behave violently and to attempt or consider suicide with a gun. Many teens are carrying guns today, although the numbers have decreased in recent years. Male teens, in particular, are likely to possess and carry guns. In a 1999 National survey, almost 1 in 10 male high school students reported having carried a gun in the last 30 days, a decrease from more than 1 in 7 in 1993.