Gun advocates often argue that firearms in the house deter crime. Again, the evidence suggests otherwise. In a classic tale of two cities, researchers compared crime reports between 1980 and 1986 in Vancouver, British Colombia, where guns are tightly regulated, and nearby Seattle, WA, where guns are much more widely available. The cities experienced virtually identical rates of burglary and robbery and similar rates of assault. Physicians Shouldn't Get Involved in Matters of Personal Choice.
Physicians constantly advise patients in matters that are highly personal, from safe sex to smoking.
Many doctors are reluctant to bring up the issue because they believe that owning a gun is a personal decision. We no longer hesitate to counsel patients about the dangers of cigarettes, or unprotected sex, or not wearing a seat belt. For the simple reason that we can save lives, we shouldn't hesitate to bring up the issue of guns and gun safety. The AAP, in its 1999 policy statement, also strongly advocated for the role of physicians in preventing gun-related violence. The American College of Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, among others, have policies encouraging physicians to take an active role in preventing firearm deaths and injuries.