GOOD
AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO
THE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON LECTURE
SERIES. FOR THOSE IN THE ROOM I
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU BRAVES
ICEY WEATHER TO COME ON CAMPUS
TO BE IN THE ROOM. THOSE ONLINE
APPRECIATE YOU ARE -- HOPEFULLY
YOU ARE IN A WARM SAFE PLACE.
GET A HOT CHOCOLATE OR SOMETHING
AND WATCHING THIS WOULD BE A
NICE TREAT. TODAY, THIS IS A
FIRST OF THE THREE SPECIAL NIH
DIRECTORS LECTURE, THIS WALS
SEASON. THESE SPEAKERS ARE
SELECTED AMONG ALMOST 200 WALS
NOMINATION BY THE NIH DIRECTOR
MIC BY DR. LAWRENCE TABAK IN HIS
ROLE AS ACTING NIH DIRECTOR, IN
2023, 2024 SELECTIONS WHEN THEY
WERE MADE. DR. MONICA
BERTONELLI THE NIH DIRECTOR WAS
SUPPOSED TO INTRODUCE THE
SPEAKER. UNFORTUNATELY COULDN'T
MAKE IT BECAUSE HER FLIGHT WAS
CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER SO YOU
GOT ME, A MUCH LESS IMPORTANT
PERSON INTRODUCING THE SPEAKER.
I'M THE ACTING PSYCHODIRECTOR
AND SUNY INVESTIGATOR NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF MINORITY AND HEALTH
DISPARITYVING RESEARCH. HERE ONN
BEOF THE HEALTH DISPARITY GROUP
WHO NOMINATED THE SPEAKERS
TODAY. THOSE WATCHING REMOTELY
PARTICIPATE IN THE Q&A AFTER
TODAY'S PRESENTATION. YOU CAN DO
SO BY CLICKING ON THE BUTTON
BELOW YOUR VIDEOCAST WINDOW.
WHICH SAYS SEND LIVE FEEDBACK,
CLICK ON THAT, TYPE IN YOUR NAME
AND QUESTION AND WE WILL RELAY
THIS INFORMATION TO DR. HEMENWAY
AT THE END OF THE LECTURE. YOU
CAN SHARE YOUR QUESTIONS ANY
TIME. FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE
WE HAVE TWO MICROPHONES, YOU CAN
USE THE ONE ON THE LEFT OR
RIGHT, WHATEVER CLOSEST TO YOU
OR FURTHER AWAY FROM YOU AND YOU
CAN ASK QUESTIONS AFTER THE
LECTURE. WE ALSO OFFER
CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION
CREDITS FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
THE CME CODE TODAY IS 50108.
REPEAT, 50108. NOW, LET'S TURN
TO THE BUSINESS. LET ME
INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER TODAY. IN
2016 FOLLOWING THE MASS SHOOTING
IN THE U.S. AT A TIME -- AT THAT
TIME IN FLORIDA, THE AMERICAN
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION DECLARED GUN
VIOLENCE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS IN THE UNITED STATES.
HOWEVER, SINCE THEN, THE CRISIS
HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE. IN 2021
THERE WERE 48,830 GUN RELATED
DEATHS, 23% INCREASE FROM 2019
NUMBER. EVEN WORSE GUN DEATH
AMONG CHILDREN AN TEENAGERS ROSE
50% DURING THOSE TWO YEARS. ALSO
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW GUN
VIOLENCE DISPROPORTIONATELY
AFFECTING COMMUNITIES
EXPERIENCING HEALTH DISPARITY.
SINCE GUN VIOLENCE A PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS WE NEED A PUBLIC
HEALTH APPROACH TO ADDRESS THIS
CRISICRISIS. TODAY WE ARE FOR GO
HAVE DR. DAVID HEMENWAY,
PROFESSOR HEALTH POLICY HARVARD
TH CHAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
AND CO-DIRECTOR HARVARD INJURY
CONTROL RESOURCE CENTER TO TALK
ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH
AAPPROPRIATE. HE IS AWARD
WINNING EXPERT IN FIREARM
VIOLENCE PREVENTION AMONG MANY
RENDITIONS HE WAS RECOGNIZED BY
CDC AS ONE OF THE 20 MOST
INFLUENTIAL INJURY AND VIOLENCE
PROFESSIONALS OVER THE PAST 20
YEARS IN 2012. HE HAS ONE TEN
HARVARD SCHOOL PUBLIC HEALTH
TEACHING AWARDS AND INAUGURAL
STUDENT ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT AWARD. IN 2020,
2021, HE WAS PA RADCLIFFE FELLOW
DISTINCTION FOR EXCEPTIONAL
SCIENTISTS WRITERS SCHOLARS
PUBLIC INTELLECTUALS AND ARTISTS
WHO WORK -- WHOSE WORK IS MAKING
A DIFFERENCE IN THE PROFESSIONAL
FIELDS AS IN THE LARGER WORLD.
DR. HEMENWAY RECEIVE HIS
UNDERGRADUATE IN ECONOMICS FROM
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, MASTERS
DEGREE IN ECONOMICS FROM
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, AND
Ph.Ph.D. FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY
SINCE 197 HE DIRECT AND
CO-DIRECT THE HARVARD INJURY
RESOURCE CONSULT CENTER. HE'S
WRITTEN FIVE BOOKS AND 125
JOURNAL ARTICLES INCLUDING
PRIVATE GUNS AN PUBLIC HEALTH,
AND WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING
SUCCESS STORIES IN INJURY AND
VIOLENCE PREVENTION. HE MADE
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
FIREARM LITERATURE IN GUN
OWNERSHIP, GUN TRAINING, AND
PUBLIC USE TO REDUCE GUN
VIOLENCE AND MANY OTHER ISSUES.
IN LIGHT OF COLD OUTSIDE, HELP
ME WELCOME DR. HEMENWAY.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SO I WILL TALK GUNS, I'M FROM
NEW YORK, TALK TOO FAST. GUNS
ARE A BIG PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM,
THE PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH, I
WILL TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF DATA AND RESEARCH SINCE I'M
HERE. AND LOOK AT TWO AREAINGS
UNINTENTIONAL CHILD FIREARM
FATALITIES AND SUICIDE
PREVENTION. SO WE KNOW EXACTLY
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE SHOT AND
KILLED EACH YEAR, WE DON'T KNOW
ABOUT -- WE ONLY KNOW
APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY SHOT,
APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY CRIMINAL
INCIDENTS THERE ARE BUT ALL
THESE THINGS ARE A LOT. WHAT WE
DO KNOW IS IF WE DO NOTHING OVER
THE NEXT DECADE MORE THAN A
MILLION AMERICANS WILL BE SHOT.
IF WE LOOK AT THE DATA, WE HAVE
A LOT OF SUICIDES, HOMICIDES,
MOST SUICIDES ARE FIREARM
SUICIDES MOST HOMICIDES ARE
FIREARM SUICIDES. IF WE TALK
HOW MANY SIDES OR SUICIDES IN
THE UNITED STATES YOU HAVE TO
TALK ABOUT GUNS. THERE ARE MORE
FIREARM SUICIDES THAN FIREARM
HOMICIDES. OF COURSE THERE ARE
MANY OTHER PROBLEMS THAN JUST
PEOPLE DYING, THERE IS NON-FATAL
INJURIES SPINAL CORD INJURIES SO
FORTH. THERE IS INTIMIDATION
WITH GUNS, A LOT OF ROBBERIES
WITH GUNS. WE KNOW NOW THE
EVIDENCE IS MORE EVERY YEAR
ABOUT HOW EXPOSURE TO
PARTICULARLY THE FIREARM
VIOLENCE, INCREASES THE RISK OF
LONG TERM TRAUMA. LONG TERM
PHYSICAL PROBLEMS, LONG TERM
MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. THEN
THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER PROBLEMS
ASSOCIATED WITH GUNS AN GUN
VIOLENCE. KEY THING IS THAT GUN
VIOLENCE AMONG HIGH INCOME
COUNTRIES IS AS UNIQUELY
AMERICAN PROBLEM. WE ARE A
CONSPICUOUS OUTLIER T TO COMPARD
TO THE OTHER HIGH INCOME
COUNTRIES 30 OR NO. WE ARE
SIMILAR TO MOST OTHER COUNTRIES
IN LOTS OF WAYS ONE WAY WE HAVE
SIMILAR NON-GUN CRIME RATES IN
TERMS OF THINGS LIKE SEXUAL
ASSAULT, ROB BRINGS, WE HAVE
SIMILAR VIOLENCE RATES, WE HAVE
STUDIES DONE ABOUT IN SCHOOLS
AND SIMILAR BULLYING RATES,
SIMILAR AGGRESSION RATES,
SIMILAR DEPRESSION RATES BUT WE
ARE DIFFERENT IN ONE BIG AREA,
AND THAT WE HAVE VERY DIFFERENT
GUNS THAN WE HAVE, WE HAVE LOTS
MORE GUNS WE HAVE PARTICULARLY
MORE HANDGUNS THAN ARE AVAILABLE
ELSEWHERE AND OVER THE LAST 20
YEARS OR SO WE HAVE LOTS MORE
MILITARY WEAPONS AND CIVIL -- IN
CIVILIAN HANDS, COMPARED TO
EVERY ONE OF THESE OTHER HIGH
INCOME COUNTRIES WE HAVE BY FAR
THE WEAKEST GUN CONTROL LAWS.
THIS IS JUST GIVES YOU A FEELING
ABOUT THE SIZE OF OUR PROBLEM
RELATIVE TO OTHER HIGH INCOME
COUNTRIES THAT WILL LOOK AT --
LOOKS AT 5 TO 14-YEAR-OLDS, THE
REASON FOR THEM IS BECAUSE IT IS
HARD TO BLAME THE VICTIM AND
THERE IS A LOT OF VICTIM BLAMING
IN THIS AREA. THESE ARE KIDS WHO
ARE BASICALLY K-8. WHAT THIS
SAYS IS THAT A CHILD IN THE
UNITED STATES K-8 HAS A LOT
HIGHER RISK OF GUN HOMICIDE THAN
BEING A VICTIM THAN A CHILD IN
CANADA OR ENGLAND OR IN FRANCE
OR JAPAN, KOREA, ANY OF THE
OTHER 30 PLUS HIGH INCOME
COUNTRIES IT IS NOT 50% HIGHER
OR TWO TIMES HIGHER OR FIVE
TIMES, IT IS ALMOST 27 TIMES
HIGHER. OUR GUN SUICIDE RATE
AMONG CHILDREN IS 27 TIMES
HIGHER. A CHILD 14-YEAR-OLD
FLUNKS A CLASS OR LITTLE
GIRLFRIEND BREAKS UP WITH HIM,
FINDS HIS DAD'S GUN BANG HE'S
DEAD. UNINTENTIONAL FIREARM
DEATH RATE COMPARED TO OTHER
CHILDREN IS 8 TIMES HIGHER. I
TEACH AT PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOL
WITH INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND
THEY LOOK AT ME AND SAY WHY
DON'T YOU GUYS DO SOMETHING. IT
IS HARD TO EXPLAIN. LET ME TALK
PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH. I HAVE
BEEN TRYING TO PROMOTE PUBLIC
HEALTH APPROACH FOR 30 OR MORE
YEARS AND IT IS ACTUALLY WE HAVE
HAD SOME SUCCESS ON TRACTION
MORE AN MORE HERE, PROGRESSIVE
POLICE CHIEFS IN CITIES SAYING
WE CAN'T ARREST OUR WAY OUT OF
THIS PROBLEM, WE NEED TO DO
SOMETHING ELSE A PUBLIC HEALTH
APPROACH. PEOPLE TALKING PUBLIC
HEALTH APPROACH DON'T KNOW WHAT
IT MEANS. THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS
TO ME. ONE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION
OF PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH IS
LET'S MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO
STAY HEALTHY, HARD FOR THEM TO
BECOME SICK OR INJURED. I DO A
LITTLE WORK IN OBESITY
PREVENTION BECAUSE IT HASN'T HAD
ENOUGH MONEY FOR ME IN THE GUN
RESEARCH AREA. AND WHAT DOES
THIS MEAN IN TERMS OF OBESITY?
MAKE IT REALLY EASY FOR PEOPLE
TO GET HEALTHY EXERCISE MAKE IT
HARD TO BECOME A COUCH POTATO,
MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO GET
HEALTHY FOODS, MAKE IT HARDER
FOR THEM TO GET JUST SCUGGER
SNACKS. WE DO THE OPPOSITE IN
THE UNITED STATES, WHY ARE WE
SURPRISED WE HAVE THE BIG
OBESITY PROBLEM. KEY ELEMENTS OF
PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH, THE
FIRST IS MOST IMPORTANT.
PREVENTION. PREVENTION
PREVENTION. PREVENTION. THAT IS
WHAT IT IS. YOU ARE TRYING TO
PREVENT FOR ANY INJURY PROBABLY
A DOZEN THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN,
IF YOU CHANGE ANY ONE OF DOZEN
THINGS THE INJURY WOULDN'T HAVE
HAPPENED. AND WHAT WE LEARNED
FROM LOOKING AT VARIOUS INJURIES
IS THAT TYPICALLY UPSTREAM
PREVENTION NOT WAITING TO THE
LAST SECOND NOT FOCUSING ON THE
INDIVIDUAL INJURED OR INDIVIDUAL
WHO IMMEDIATELY CAUSED THE
INJURY, BUT IF YOU GO UPSTREAM
IT IS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE TO
MAKE CHANGES UPSTREAM, TYPICALLY
MORE COST EFFECTIVE. WE WILL
TALK ABOUT THAT A LOT. PUBLIC
HELP IS NOT NAMED INDIVIDUALS
BUT POPULATION BASED APPROACH SO
THAT FOR EXAMPLE, SOMETIMES I
GIVE A LECTURE TO PSYCHIATRISTS,
IF I'M TALKING TO PSYCHIATRISTS
IN BOSTON I MIGHT ASK WHY DO YOU
THINK THAT MASSACHUSETTS HAS
SUCH LOWER SUICIDE RATE THAN A
STATE LIKE ARIZONA WHICH HAS THE
SAME POPULATION? AND THEIR
CORRECT RESPONSE IS GEE, WE
DIDN'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T KNOW THAT, THEY ARE NOT
INTERESTED IN THAT, THEY ARE
INTERESTED IN INDIVIDUALS AND WE
ARE INTERESTED IN POPULATIONS, I
PRESSED THEM WHY DO YOU THINK
THAT IS? THEY COME UP WITH
DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE MAYBE THE
IMMIGRANTS, MAYBE THE SUN, MAYBE
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
PSYCHIATRISTS. OF COURSE IT IS
NONE OF THOSE. WHAT IS THE
ANSWER? WHY DOES ARIZONA HAVE SO
MANY MORE SUICIDES THAN
MASSACHUSETTS? THE ANSWER IS
GUNS. THAT'S THE ANSWER. IF I
ASKED YOU ANY QUESTIONS THAT'S
GOING TO BE THE ANSWER TO THIS.
PUBLIC HEALTH IS ABOUT TRYING --
IS BROADENING THE APPROACH
RATHER THAN NARROWING THE
APPROACH, TRYING TO GET
EVERYBODY TO HELP EVERYBODY TO
SEE -- SEEN AS PART OF THE
SOLUTION RATHER THIS THAN PART
OF PROBLEM SO LESS BLAME AND
MORE SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AND
THE PROBLEM WITH BLAME SOMETIMES
BLAME IS USEFUL BUT FOR
PREVENTION MOSTLY THE PROBLEM
WITH BLAME IS IT MEANS IT IS
SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT, WE DON'T
HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WE
WANT EVERYONE TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT. THE PUBLIC HEALTH
APPROACH IS A HARM REDUCTION
APPROACH, IT IS BASICALLY --
LET'S STEP BACK AND ASK FIRST WE
HAVE TO AGREE THERE IS A PROBLEM
AND LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW ALL
DIFFERENT SECTORS OF SOCIETY CAN
HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
EVERYBODY IS PART OF THE
SOLUTION. GUN MANUFACTURERS, GUN
OWNERS, THE FAITH COMMUNITY,
ACTUARIES, THE POLICE,
POLITICIANS, HAIRDRESSERS, SO
FORTH, WE WORKED WITH A LOT OF
GROUPS, WE WORK WITH BARBERS
FIGURING WAYS THEY CAN REDUCE
GUN VIOLENCE. ONE GREAT INJURY
PREVENTION SUCCESS STORIES, IS
THE MOTOR VEHICLE SUCCESS STORY.
A STORY WE AND THE INJURY
PREVENTION WORLD TELL GRADUATE
STUDENTS OVER THE CAMPFIRE AND
PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO
GENERATION. STORY GOES LIKE
THIS. IN THE 1950s WE WERE
TOLD OVER AND OVER THAT MOST
MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES DUE TO
DRIVER ERROR. THERE ARE TIRED
DRIVERS DISTRACTED DRIVERS.
DRIVERS MAKE MISTAKES ALL THE
TIMEMENT IF DRIVERS NEVER MADE
MISTAKES THERE WOULD BE ALMOST
NO CRASHES. MOST MOTOR VEHICLE
FATALITIES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH
DELIBERATE UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR. IT
IS THE ASSOCIATED WITH SPEEDING,
WITH DRUNK DRIVING, WITH TEXTING
WHILE DRIVING, IF WE DIDN'T --
IF EVERYONE OBEYED THE LAW, ALL
WE HAVE TO DO OBEY THE LAW ALL
THE TIME WE COULD ELIMINATE MOST
TRAFFIC FATALITIES INCLUDING
PEDESTRIANS IF THEY OBEYED THE
LAW. SO WHAT WE ARE TOLD OF
COURSE THAT THIS IS THE TRUTH
WHAT WE WISH IN SOME SENSE IT
IS, WHAT SHOULD WE DO, EDUCATE
DRIVERS, AND WE SHOULD ENFORCE
THE TRAFFIC LAW. EDUCATION
ENFORCEMENT IS THE GUN MESSAGE
OF THE GUN LOBBY TODAY, EDUCATE
PEOPLE WITH THE 80 EAGLE PROGRAM
SHOWN NOT TO HAVE EFFECT AND
ENFORCE THE LAWS THROWING MORE
PEOPLE IN JAIL. WE HAVE THE
HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN JAIL
PER CAPITA OF ANY COUNTRY IN THE
WORLD ALREADY. BUT FORTUNATELY
IN THE 1950s PUBLIC HEALTH
PHYSICIANS ASKED A DIFFERENT
QUESTION. NOT WHO WAS RESPONSE
-- WHO SCAWSED THE CRASH, BUT
WHAT CAUSED THE INJURY. PEOPLE
WERE BEING SPEARED BY STEERING
COLUMNS IN THEIR CHEST, FACES
LACERATED BY GLASS WHEN THEIR
HEAD HIT P WIN FIELD AND WENT
THROUGH, THEY LEAVE THE ROAD ONE
SECOND AND GO HIT A TREE OR LAMP
POST PLANTED ALONG THE SIDE OF
HIGHWAYS. WE PUBLIC HEALTH
PHYSICIANS SAY COUP WE MAKE THE
ROADS SAFER MAKE THE CARS
SAFERRER, MAKE THE EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SYSTEM SAFER? THIS IS
BASICALLY THE PICTURE OF MY
FIRST CAR I DROVE AFTER A YEAR
ON DRIVERS EDUCATION, WHICH HAS
SHOWN NOT TO HAVE EFFECT ON
FATALITY RATES BUT MANDATED
WHERE I WENT TO SCHOOL IN
ILLINOIS. MY CAR, HERE IT IS, NO
SEAT BELTS DIDN'T HAVE ANY AIR
BAGS OR A STEERING COLUMN OR A
CRASH WEATHER INTERIOR,
LAMINATED SAFETY GLASS, DIDN'T
HAVE EMERGENCY AUTOMATIC
BREAKING, LANE DEPARTURE
WARNINGS, REAR FACING CAMERAS
BLIND SPOT DETECTION. FINALLY WE
HAVE BLIND SPOT DETECTION.
ALMOST ALL MY LIFE THE DANGEROUS
THING IS SOMEBODY IS DRIVING
THEREN I HAVE TO TURN AND SEE IF
THEY ARE THERE. COME ON, YOU --
PEOPLE ARE ENGINEERS THEY CAN DO
BETTER, FINALLY THEY HAVE. ROADS
ARE MUCH BETTER CARS AND MUST
HAVE SAFER THE PUNCH LINE OF
COURSE IS NOT -- 75 YEARS LATER
NOBODY THINKS DRIVERS ARE BETTER
TODAY THAN THEY WERE IN THE
1950s. BUT DRIVERS TODAY ARE
BETTER ABOUT DRUNK DRIVING, THEY
ARE WORSE ABOUT DISTRACTED
DRIVING AND NOW IN MASSACHUSETTS
ANYWAY DRIVING WITH MARIJUANA IN
THEIR SYSTEM. BUFFET TALLTIES
PER MILE DRIVEN HAVE FALLEN OVER
90%. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU
SHOULDN'T TRY TO CHANGE DRIVERS,
IT IS HARD TO DO AND A LOT
EASIER MORE COST EFFECTIVE OFTEN
TO CHANGE THE AGENT OF INJURY OR
THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS THE KEY
INSIGHT I THINK TO THIS MOTOR
VEHICLE SUCCESS STORY, YOU DON'T
HAVE TO CHANGE PEOPLE. IF IT IS
GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE
AND NOT EFFECTIVE. WHAT YOU WANT
TO DO IS CREATE A SYSTEM OR IT
IS HARD TO MAKE MISTAKES OR HARD
TO BEHAVE INAPPROPRIATELY. IF
SOME PEOPLE STILL MAKE MISTAKES
AND BEHAVE INAPPROPRIATELY, NO
ONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. WHAT
DOES THIS MEAN? YOU ARE DRIVING
ALONG AND FALLING ASLEEP, YOU GO
OFF THE ROAD AND YOU HIT TREE,
YOU ARE DEAD. THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED TO A FRIEND OF MINE IN
THE 1950s. BUT WHAT YOU HAVE
NOW IS DRIVING ALONG GOING TO
SLEEP SUDDENLY YOU EITHER HIT IF
IN CALIFORNIA BOX BUMP BUMP BUMP
TO WAKE YOU UP OR NOW IF YOU
HAVE A REASONABLE CAR IT GOES
BEEP BEEP BEEP AND WAKES YOU UP,
SAYS WAKE UP STUPID YOU GO BACK
IN LINE AND NOTHING BAD HAPPENS
THAT'S THE KIND OF SYSTEM YOU
WANT. ANOTHER EXAMPLE, REASON I
PUT THIS IN IS BECAUSE I WAS
HERE WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING
THIS METRO IN DC. THEY SPENT A
LOT OF TIME IN ENERGY TRYING TO
MAKE SO DC METRO WOULD BE SAFE.
THEY DID ALL THESE THINGS TO IT,
TV CAMERAS, NOT KEEPING --
HAVING NO LONG WINDING CORRIDORS
AND NOT HAVING FOOD IN THERE SO
FORTH. THEY HAD GONE TO ALL THE
SUBWAY SYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD
TO FIGURE WHERE PEOPLE WERE
MUGGED AND THEY BUILT A BETTER
SYSTEM. AT LEAST IN THE FIRST
DECADE OR SO, I DON'T KNOW, I
HAVEN'T FOLLOWED IN D.C. BUT
MURDER RATE ROBBERY ASSAULT RATE
WAS A FOURTH OF WHAT IT WAS IN
CHICAGO OR NEW YORK OR BOSTON OR
TOKYO. IT IS NOT BECAUSE YOU
GUYS WERE NICER THAN WE WERE. IT
IS JUST THAT YOU HAVE A BETTER
SYSTEM. SO AS I MENTIONED, I
WROTE THIS BOOK HOW TO PREVENT
GUN VIOLENCE AND THIS HERE IS
THE PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH, ALL
THE THINGS WE CAN DO, ONLY $25
ON AMAZON. THERE'S SO MANY
THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE, I'LL
MENTION A FEW THAT MANUFACTURERS
CAN DO TO REDUCE CRIME, IT WOULD
BE NICE IF THEY MADE IT HARD TO
OBLITERATE SERIAL NUMBERS ON
GUNS RATHER THAN EASY RIGHT NOW.
A LOT OF GUNS CAN'T BE TRACED
BECAUSE THE SERIAL NUMBER IS
OBLITERATED WHY? SO EASY TO
OBLITERATE, THEY CAN MAKE IT
HARD TO OBLITERATE, WOULD BE
NICE BUT THEY DON'T DO IT. WOULD
BE NICE TO KNOW WHEN A GUN WAS
-- WHEN A BULLET WAS FIRED YOU
GOT THE BULLET OR CASING THAT
YOU CAN TRACE IT EXACTLY TO NOT
THE MAKE MODEL OF THE GUN BUT
THE EXACT GUN. THAT IS NOT THAT
HARD TO DO DO. BALLISTIC
FINGERPRINTING, IT IS 2024 WE
CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS WE CAN
DO BALLISTIC FINGERPRINTING AND
MAKE IT EASIER TO CATCH THE BAD
GUYS. TO REDUCE OXIDANTS WILL
ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE
ABOUT COUPLE OF DECADES AGO I
WAS AT A CONFERENCE OF THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH
ASSOCIATION AND WE WERE IN LINE
AT A RESTAURANT AND FEMALE
DELEGATE DROPPED SOMETHING FROM
HER PURSE, A NICE LOCAL WENT TO
PICK IT UP OUT OF HIS POCKET,
DROPPED IT THERE, HIT THE GROUND
BANG WENT OFF AND THE BULLET
WENT THROUGH TWO FEMALE
DELEGATES WHO WERE RACED TO THE
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. WE
SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY GUNS THAT CAN
GO OFF WHEN THEY ARE DROPPED.
THAT IS SILLY. I WILL TALK ABOUT
CHILD PROOF GUNS AND MAGAZINE
SAFETIES IN A MINUTE. THERE'S SO
MANY THINGS WE SHOULD HAVE, WE
SHOULD HAVE BETTER PERSONALIZED
GUNS IN THE SENSE THAT IT SHOULD
BE SO THAT NOBODY ELSE CAN USE
MY GUN IF IT GETS STOLEN. RIGHT
NOW THERE ARE I THINK 350,000
GUN A YEAR WHICH STOLEN. IT IS
ONE OF THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH IT
IS REALLY EASY FOR THE WRONG
PEOPLE TO GET HOLD OF GUNS. YOUR
CELL PHONE IF YOU LOSE YOUR CELL
PHONE YOU CAN MAKE SURE OTHERS
CAN'T USE IT. YOU OUGHT TO BE
ABLE TO DO THE SAME WITH YOUR
GUN. THERE ARE LOTS OF PUBLIC
HEALTH SUCCESSES, LOTS OF INJURY
PREVENTION SUCCESSES, WHY NOT IN
FIREARM?
I WROTE A BOOK A FEW YEARS AGO,
AGAIN, ONLY $25 ON AMAZON.COM.
CALLED WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING,
IT IS 64 DOCUMENTED SUCCESSES
HOW THE WORLD IS MADE SAFER.
FORTUNATELY NICELY I'M SO HAPPY
INJURY IN TERMS OF BOTH GETTING
GOOD DATA AND RESEARCH ACTUALLY
MATTERED IN ALMOST ALL THESE
PREVENTION STORIES. IT IS ALSO
36 HEROES YOU NEVER HEARD OF WHO
MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLAC PL.
SUB PUBLIC HEALTH PEOPLE, ALMOST
ALL ADVOCATEDS WHOSE MADE THE
WORLD SAFER IN THIS ONE AREA,
WHICH IS INJURY AND VIOLENCE
PREVENTION. WE HAVE PARTICULAR
PROBLEMS IN THE GUN AREA, WHY WE
DON'T GET MANY SUCCESSES. ONE
IS I THINK THIS IS THE ONLY
INDUSTRY MAYBE ONE OTHER THAT
HAS NO FEDERAL OVERSIGHT FOR
SAFETY OF GUNS. IT IS ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE OVER THE LAST 20
YEARS AS A LAW PASSED 20 YEARS
AGO TO MAKE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
TO SUE MANUFACTURERS LIKE
CIGARETTE COMPANIES WERE SUED.
WE HAVE THE ATF ALCOHOL TOBACCO
AND FIREARM IT IS BUREAU AND IT
IS SUPPOSED TO LIKE OVERSEE WHAT
IS GOING ON AMONG GUN SHOPS AND
SO FORTH. ITS HANDS WERE TIED IN
NUMEROUS WAYS ONE WAY IS CAN'T
EVEN PUT COMPUTERIZE A LOT OF
DATA. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR
IT TO HAVE COMPUTERIZED DATA,
CRAZY. THERE ARE A LOT OF DATA
AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS WE HAVE
INADEQUATE DATA BEHAVIORAL
FACTORS USED TO HAVE GUN
QUESTIONS, NOW IT DOESN'T
TRACING DATA WOULD BE HELPFUL
FOR RESEARCHERS AVAILABLE IN 199
T, NOT THE INDIVIDUAL DATA, NOT
AVAILABLE TO RESEARCHERS ANY
MORE, SO FORTH. WE CAN DO A LOT
BETTER IN TERMS OF THE DATA
WHICH WE COLLECTED THE DATA
WHICH ARE AVAILABLE. NOT
SURPRISINGLY WE HAVE TWO LITTLE
FIREARMS RESEARCH BECAUSE NOT
ONLY DO WE NOT HAVE GREAT DATA
BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH MONEY
FOR RESEARCH, I ALWAYS SAY
PUBLIC HEALTH IS UNDERFUNDED
RELATIVE TO MEDICINE, WITHIN
PUBLIC HEALTH JERRY PREVENTION
IS PARTICULARLY UNDERFUNDED WITH
INJURY PREVENTION FIREARMS
RESEARCH WAS PROBABLY THE MOST
UNDERFUNDED. MOST KNOW THE SORRY
ABOUT BIG DECREASE IN DECLINE IN
CDC GUN RESEARCH WHICH NEVER
STARTED OUT MUCH AT ALL,
2.5 MILLION AND LONG TIME WITH
ZERO NOW BACK UP TO #
.5 MILLION. HERE IS THE THING I
JUST COULD SHOW BASICALLY FROM
NIH, DISPARITY FROM 1973 TO
2012. IN TERMS OF RESEARCH
AWARDS. DURING THAT TIME THERE
WERE THREE NIH RESEARCH AWARDS,
ABOUT FIREARMS AND ALMOST 500
THEORY OF POLIO AND RABIES WHICH
CAUSED SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT
AMOUNTS OF PROBLEMSS. THINGS ARE
BETTER BUT THIS SHOWS YOU THIS
IS A GRAPH OF EMPIRICAL ARTICLES
ON FIREARMS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS
WHICH YOU COULD FIND IN PUBMED.
YOU CAN SEE JUST VERY FEW
20072008, ONLY FIVE OR SIX WE
MUST HAVE DONE MOST OF THESE.
FINALLY MANY 2015 THERE ARE
MORE, MORE MONEY AND IT IS STILL
SO UNDERFUNDED. BUT THINGS ARE
GETTING MUCH BETTER, MORE TYPE L
ARE INTERESTED. THE REDDISH LINE
IS THE NUMBER THAT WERE FUNDED
AND THE OTHERS ARE BASICALLY
HAVING NO FUNDING OR NO
DECLARATION. WHENEVER THERE IS A
BIG TRAGEDY I GET CALL THE
MEDIA, I MENTION RESEARCH AND
THEY SAY WHAT DO WE NEED MORE
RESEARCH ABOUT? WHAT IS ONE
THING TO KNOW? I TELL THEM NOT
ONE THING IT IS LIKE CANCER
RESEARCHER THERE'S NO CANCER
RESEARCH THE LAST 25 YEARS, ONE
THING YOU NEED TO KNOW. THE
ANSWER I GUESS IS HOW TO CURE
CANCER. I DON'T THINK THAT IS
THE RIGHT ANSWER. WE KNOW IT IS
ALMOST NOTHING ABOUT MOST
THINGS. THERE'S ONE ARTICLE IN
GUN THEFT EMPIRICAL ARTICLE. I
DON'T THINK ANY EMPIRICAL
ARTICLES ABOUT OPEN CARRY. IT IS
INCREDIBLE HOW LITTLE WE KNOW
ABOUT SO MANY THINGS IN GUN
AREA. FIRST STEP IN PUBLIC
HEALTH APPROACH IS A GOOD DATA
SYSTEM, THERE IS A GOOD DATA
SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS.
ANY TIME THERE IS A MOTOR
VEHICLE THEFT THERE'S 125 PIECES
OF INFORMATION COLLECTED
CONSISTENTLY AND ACROSS STATES
SO WE KNOW WHAT IS WAS GOING ON
IN MOTOR VEHICLES WHICH IS A
REASON THERE WAS A BIG MOTOR
VEHICLE SUCCESS STORY. FINALLY
WE HAVE THE NATIONAL VIOLENT
THEFT REPORTING SYSTEM I THINK
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS I LIKED
IN MY CAREER IS THE TINY LITTLE
ROLE I PLAYED IN HELPING CREATE
THE NATIONAL VIOLENT DEATH
REPORTING SYSTEM WHICH IS NOW
20 SOMETHING YEARS FINALLY IN
ALL STATES. HERE IS WHAT
HAPPENED IN 1999 WE HAD PILOT. I
USED TO BE A SHILL FOR THE
SYSTEM SAYING HOW IMPORTANT IT
WAS TO CREATE A DATA SYSTEM
WHICH IS CONSISTENT AND
COMPARABLE ACROSS ALL STATES
ABOUT ALL VIOLENT DEATHS. I
WOULD GIVE GROUP LIKE YOU A QUIZ
AND SAY YOU HAVE THIS, WHAT
PROPORTION -- THREE MOST COMMON
CHARACTERTY TICKS FOR FATAL GUN
ACCIDENTS, WHERE DO TEENS OBTAIN
THEIR GUNS,. GOT A PRIZE, A
SHIRT THAT SUPPORTED VDRS. WHAT
WAS THE ANSWER TO THESE? THE
ANSWER YOU TURNED THE SHEET OVER
AND THE ANSWER IS NOBODY KNOWS.
IF PEOPLE TOLD YOU THEY KNEW THE
ANSWER TO THIS THEY WERE LYING
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DATA ABOUT
ANY OF THOSE THINGS. THAT IS ONE
OF THE THINGS THE NATIONAL
VIOLENT DATA SYSTEM HAS DONE IS
PROVIDE LOTS OF DATA. DATA ARE
CRUCIAL NOT ONLY REFUTE
MISINFORMATION BUT ONE THING
PEOPLE RECOGNIZE IS HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO PROVIDE
INSIGHTS ABOUT WHAT ARE THE BEST
POLICIES. AN EXAMPLE, TALK ABOUT
UNINTENTIONAL FIREARM DEATHS,
THEN TALK ABOUT SUICIDE. THE
DARLING OF THE GUN LOBBY, AT
LEAST THE RESEARCHER WHO AS JOHN
LOT USED TO SAY OVER ON FOX NEWS
AND LA TIMES EDITORIALS, YOU CAN
LOOK THIS UP, HE SAID QUOTE,
ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF ACCIDENTAL
GUN DEATHS TO CHILDREN ARE NOT
SHOTS FIRED BY OTHER LITTLE
KIDS, BUT RATHER BEEN ADULT
MALES WITH CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS.
I TRIED TO SAY WHERE DID YOU GET
THIS DATA? ANSWER IS I DON'T
KNOW WHERE HE GOT IT, I STILL
DON'T KNOW BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT
TO BE COMPLETE COMPLETELY WRONG.
IF YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS TRUE
ADULT MALES WITH CRIMINAL
BACKGROUNDS, BUT IT IS NOT TRUE.
HOW DO WE KNOW THIS? FROM THE
NATIONAL VIOLENT DEATH REPORTING
SYSTEM. WHAT WE KNOW FOR EXAMPLE
NOW IS THAT FOR CHILDREN 0 TO 14
IS NOT ADULTS KILLING CHILDREN
UNINTENTIONALLY, IT IS CHILDREN
KILLING CHILDREN. ABOUT A THIRD
OR ARE SELF-INFLICTED, A THIRD
OTHER CHILDREN, SHOOTERS, ABOUT
A SIXTH OR SLIGHTLY OLDER
TEENAGERS SHOOTERS, A
15-YEAR-OLD SHOOT AS
14-YEAR-OLD. MAYBE THE SAME
CLASS. AND THEN ADULTS ALMOST
ALL PARENTS WITH NO INDICATION
THEY ARE CRIMINALS. HERE IS ONE
LITTLE TABLE YOU CAN DRAW FROM
WHAT WE LOOKED AT. THIS IS
UNINTENTIONAL FIREARM, THUS THE
CHILDREN BY AGE. YOU CAN SEE
KEEPS GOING UP BUT 2 TO
4-YEAR-OLD IS AN ANOMALY, HIGHER
THAN FIVE OR TEN-YEAR-OLDS
ALMOST ALL MALE VICTIMS, ALMOST
ALWAYS OTHER INFLICTED EXCEPT
TWO TO FOUR-YEAR-OLD. ALMOST
ALWAYS LOAN HOUSE EXCEPT 11 TO
14-YEAR-OLDS WHERE IT IS OFTEN
AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE. KNOWING
THAT HELPS. WHAT YOU KNOW IT IS
MOSTLY SHOT, THESE KIDS ARE
MOSTLY SHOT BY SOMEBODY ELSE.
BUT TWO TO FOUR-YEAR-OLD VERSUS
HIGH RATE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH
AND THEY SHOOT THEMSELVES.
BASICALLY NOBODY IS SHOT AT A
FRIEND'S HOUSE BEFORE AGE OF 11
SO WHAT IS THE POLICY? WE HAVE A
PROBLEM, I DON'T KNOW, 35 YEARS
AGO, WITH CHILDREN FINDING
ASPIRIN BOTTLES AND OPENING THEM
AND DRINKING A LOT OF IT TAKING
ASPIRIN PILLS AN DYING AND WHAT
YOU COULD DO IS BLAME THE
PARENTS, BLAME THE KIDS BUT WE
DECIDED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY
HAVING CHILD PROOF BOTTLES. YOU
CAN GET CHILD PROOF GUNS NOT
DIFFICULT, WHY DIFFICULT L?
BECAUSE 130 YEARS AGO MORE THAN
A CENTURY AGO, LESS THAN A SMITH
AND WESSON FAME CARED ABOUT KIDS
AND DECIDED TO CREATE A CHILD
PROOF GUN. HE SAID HIS GUNS
WOULD BE SO THAT IF YOU WANT TO
FIRE THE GUN NOT ONLY PULL
TRIGGER BUT YOU HAVE TO PUT
PRESSURE ON THE HANDLE. THAT'S
ALL. TWO THINGS. BUT
THREE-YEAR-OLDS CAN'T DO THAT.
THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO
PUSH DOWN AND TURN AT THE SAME
TIME. YOU CAN SAVE THESE KIDS
BUT WE DON'T DO THAT. FOR MALES
OVER 10 YEARS, THERE'S THE ASK
CAMPAIGN, THEY ARE AT THE
FRIENDS HOUSE A LOT AND A LOT
DIE THERE AND YOU COULD ASK, SAY
IS YOUR -- IS THERE A GUN
PRESENT? IF THERE IS A GUN
PRESENT IS IT LOCKED UP STORED
APPROPRIATELY. THEN ONE NICE
THING ABOUT MVDRS IS THEY HAVE
NARRATIVE, THIS IS NARRATIVE
SUMMARY OF NARRATIVE BUSINESS
THE POLICE AND ONE BY THE
MEDICAL EXAMINER, I HAVE READ SO
MANY NARRATIVES AND FOR
UNINTENTIONAL FIREARM THAT'S THE
CHILDREN. THE COMMON THINGS THAT
COMES UP OVER AND OVER IS A BOY
FINDS DAD SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL,
TAKES OUT MAGAZINE, HERE ARE THE
BULLETS THIS MUST BE UNLOADED
THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS IT IS
NOT UNLOADED, NOTHING SAYS AND
HE PULL IT IS TRIGGER. 95% OF
THE TIME NOTHING BAD HAPPENS. I
GIVE TALKS AND AFTERWARDS PEOPLE
TELL ME OH, YEAH, THAT HAPPENED
TO ME AND I SHOT AGAINST A WALL
AND MY SISTER HELPED ME COVER IT
UPUP. BUT OCCASIONALLY THE BULLT
GOES OFF, IT HITS SOMEBODY,
TYPICALLY, A YOUNGER BROTHER,
YOUNGER SISTER BEST FRIEND AND
SOMEBODY DIES. THEN THE QUESTION
WHAT CAN WE DO? WE TEND TO DO,
LET'S BLAME THE KID, BLAME THE
PARENTS. LET'S UNSUCCESSFULLY
SUE SOMEBODY BECAUSE WE CAN'T
SUE THE GUN MANUFACTURER OR
LET'S SOLVE THE PROBLEM. HOW DO
WE SOLVE THE PROBLEM? TWO WAYS
ONE MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS
A BULLET LEFT IN THE CHAMBER
WHEN YOU LOOK OR BETTER TAKE OUT
THE MAGAZINE, THE GUN WON'T
FIRE. SOME SEMIAUTOMATICS YOU
CAN DO THAT, JUST MAKE THAT
MANDATORY THAT'S NOT THAT
DIFFICULT. YOU ALSO WANT SAFE
STORAGE, SMART GUNS, SO THAT
WHEN THE KID FINDS THE GUN THEY
CAN'T USE IT. I WANT TO SPEND
THE REST OF THE TIME TALKING
SUICIDE PREVENTION. SUICIDES
MANY MORE SUICIDES THAN
HOMICIDES MANY MORE GUN SUICIDES
THAN GUN HOMICIDES. I WANT TO
TALK ABOUT REDUCING SUICIDES
WITHOUT CHANGING ANY LAWS,
WITHOUT CHANGING ANYONE'S MENTAL
HEALTH. LIKE MAGIC. ONE OF THE
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW IS ALMOST
EVERYBODY WHEN THEY RESEARCH
SUICIDE ASKS WHY. THAT IS A
REASONABLE THING TO ASK. WHY
SOMEONE ATTEMPT SUICIDE, WHY DID
THEY DIE? WE ASKED A DIFFERENT
QUESTION THE LAST 30 YEARS, HOW,
HOW DID THEY DIE? WHAT DID THEY
USE? TURNS OUT IN IF YOU LOOK
HISTORICALLY THAT I WON'T ARGUE
MOST OF THE SUCCESS STORIES, THE
REAL SUCCESS STORIES IN TERMS OF
REDUCING SUICIDE THE LAST
HUNDRED YEARS HAD NOTHING TO DO
WITH CHANGING MENTAL HEALTH,
NOTHING TO DO WITH CHANGING
SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND EVERYTHING
TO DO WITH CHANGING SUICIDE
DEATHS. IN BRITAIN FOR EXAMPLE,
IN MANY 1960s, PUTTING YOUR
HEAD IN THE OVEN WAS THE MOST
COMMON WAY OF OVER 40% SUICIDE
DEATHS IN BRITAIN AT THE TIME
WERE THIS METHOD, SYLVIA PLAT
DIED. IT IS A PRETTY GOOD
METHOD IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS
NON-PAINFUL AND NON-DISFIGURING
SO WHEN SOMEBODY FINDS YOU THEY
DON'T FIND A HORRIBLE MESS. IN
1970, OR BETWEEN 1960s AND
1970, THE GAS WAS MADE
NON-TOXIC, SERENDIPITOUS GAS
DIDN'T SEE DIDN'T HAVE CARBON
MONOXIDE, SUICIDE RATES DROPPED
A THIRD. A THIRD INCREDIBLE
REDUCTION IN TEN YEARS, WHY?
PEOPLE STILL PUT THEIR HEADS IN
THE OVEN, JUST TAKE THEM OUT
AFTER A WHILE AND GO ON ABOUT
THEIR BUSINESS. INCREDIBLE
SUCCESS STORY. IN 1996 SRI LAIN
DA WAS THE COUNTRY HAD THE
HIGHEST SUICIDE RATES IN THE
WORLD. HIGHEST SUICIDE RATES IN
THE WORLD. HOW DID THEY DIE?
MOST DIED A HORRIBLE WAY,
HORRIBLE WAY TO COMMIT SUICIDE,
THEY DRANK LIQUID PESTICIDES,
TYPICALLY TAKES THREE OR MORE
DAYS TO DIE. IT IS PAINFUL,
MEDICINE CAN'T HELP YOU. FINALLY
SRI LAIN DA BANNED THE MOST
TOXIC OF THE PESTICIDES WHICH
EVEN THE UNITED STATES BANNED.
WHAT HAPPENED IS SUICIDE RATES
DROPPED BY 50%, BETWEEN 1996 AND
2005. THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN
PESTICIDE ATTEMPTS OF SUICIDE OR
CHANGES BY TOTAL SUICIDE BY ANY
OTHER METHOD BY OTHER METHODS NO
CHANGE IN TOTAL OUTPUT IN TERMS
OF RATE OF INCREASE IN OUTPUT,
JUST INCREDIBLE SUCCESS STORY.
IT WAS JUST BY CHANGING THE
METHOD THE AVAILABLE MEANS OF
SUE IDESUICIDE. THERE IS A GUN ,
DEFENSE FORCE NOW IN THE NEWS
UNFORTUNATELY ALL THE TIME THEY
HAD A BIG SUICIDE PROBLEM IN THE
EARLY 2000s. ONE OF THE BIG
PROBLEMS WAS DURING WEEKEND
LEAVE IN ISRAEL THERE'S LOTS OF
GUNS BUT MOSTLY MILITARY GUNS.
THESE YOUNG ISRAELI MEN AND
WOMEN WERE ALLOWED TO BRING
THEIR GUNS HOME DURING WEEKEND
LEAVE, TRAUMATIZED, AND A LOT OF
THEM COMMIT SUICIDE WITH THE
GUNS. IN 2006 IDF DID A NUMBER
OF THINGS, BIGGEST THEY DID WAS
IT SAID THE SOLDIERS YOU CAN'T
BRING YOUR GUNS HOME WITH YOU.
SO WHAT HAPPENED INCREDIBLE
SUICIDES DECREASED BY 40% DUE
LARGELY TO DROP IN WEEKEND
SUICIDES BECAUSE THEY PEOPLE,
EVEN IF THEY ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
TYPICALLY THEY DIDN'T DIE. HOW
COULD MEANS POSSIBLY MATTER? THE
KIND OF LOBBY TELL YOU OVER AND
OVER IF YOU WANT TO KILL
YOURSELF YOU WILL. IF YOU WANT
TO KILL YOURSELF YOU WILL.
THAT'S EITHER COMPLETELY WRONG
OR A TOTTOLOGY, TAKE YOUR PICK.
WHY DOES MEANS MATTER FIRST
ACUTE PHASE OF SUICIDAL CRISIS,
THERE'S OFTEN, NOT ALWAYS BUT
COMMONLY WEAK. THERE'S ALSO OF
STUDIES ASKING PEOPLE WHO
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE EVEN PEOPLE
WHO HAD ATTEMPTED CALLED NEARLY
LETHAL SUICIDE PEOPLE WHO HAD
DONE THINGS WHICH YOU WOULDN'T
-- THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD
REALLY DIE YOU THOUGHT THEY
WOULD DIE, THEY SHOULD HAVE DIED
THEY DIED 90% OF THE TIME BUT
SOME PEOPLE LIVE. THEY SHOT
THEMSELVES IN THE HEAD, SOMEHOW
SURVIVED THEY JUMPED OFF THE
BRIDGE AND SOMEHOW SURVIVED.
THIS IS PEOPLE ARE ASKED A LOT
OF QUESTIONS. TURNS OUT THE ONE
QUESTION WAS HOW LONG WAS IT
BETWEEN WHEN YOU DECIDED YOU
WERE GOING TO ATTEMPT SUICIDE
AND YOU ACTUALLY DID? FOR ABOUT
A QUARTER THEY SAID LESS THAN
FIVE MINUTES. FOR OVER A HALF
THEY SAID LESS THAN AN HOUR.
SOME PEOPLE PLANNED SUICIDES,
PEOPLE WHO ARE 90 AND HAVE
TERMCAL CANCER AND IN PAIN --
TERMINAL CANCER AND IN PAIN BUT
MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING WERE
DOING IT PRETTY QUICKLY. NOW,
THE LETHALITY VARIES GREATLY BY
METHOD. LETHALITY OF THE METHOD
EASILY AT HAND OR SUICIDAL
CRISIS PLAYS A ROLE WHETHER THE
PERSON LIVES OR DIES. INTENT OF
COURSE MATTERS. BUT THE
AVAILABLE MEANS OF SUICIDE
MATTERS A LOT ALSO. ESPECIALLY
FOR THINGS WHICH ARE COMMONLY
USED. THIS SORT OF GIVES TWO
PICTURES OF SUICIDE. ON THE
RIGHT IS WHAT IF YOU ARE A
HOSPITALIST WHO YOU SEE. PEOPLE
WHO COME IN FOR SUICIDE AND
BASICALLY HERE IS ALL THE
NON-FATAL PEOPLE, IT IS 83% ARE
PEOPLE TAKING PILLS AND SO
FORTH. 11% PEOPLE CUTTING
THEMSELVES. THESE ARE SUICIDE
ATTEMPTS. THE SUICIDE
COMPLETIONS OVER HALF ARE
FIREARMS. SMALL PERCENTAGE OF
PEOPLE WHO ATTEMPT WITH A GUN,
OVER HALF IN THE UNITED STATES
DIE, NOW 55% MOST RECENT YEAR.
WHO ATTEMPT SUICIDE WHO DIE FROM
SUICIDE DIE FROM FIREARMS. WHY
IS THAT? BECAUSE THE SUICIDE
RATE THE COMPLETION RATE IF YOU
SHOOT YOURSELF WITH A GUN IS
90%, IF YOU FAKE A LOT OF PILLS,
NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU TAKE
THERE'S 3%. MEDICINE CAN SAVE
YOU IF YOU TAKE THE PILLS THEY
CAN'T SAVE YOU IF YOU SHOOT
YOURSELF. WON'T THEY GO ON TO
COMMIT SUICIDE ANYWAY? NO
QUESTION A HISTORY OF SUICIDE
ATTEMPT IS A RISK FACTOR FOR
COMPLETED SUICIDE. IT IS A RISK
FACTOR. BUT ONLY A RISK FACTOR.
WHAT PROPORTION OF SERIOUS
ATTEMPTERS, NOT PEOPLE WHO WERE
JUST CALL FOR HELP BUT PEOPLE
WHO HAVE DONE SOMEBODY MOST
THOUGHT THEY WOULD DIE FOR WHAT
THEY DID. THEY JUMPED OFF A HIGH
BUILDING. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
FOLLOWING A GOOD NUMBER OF
STUDIES PEE P FOLLOWING 20
YEARS, WHAT PERCENT OF SERIOUS
ATTEMPT EVENTUALLY DIE BY
SUICIDE? ANSWER IS LESS THAN 10.
REALLY IS. AND MOST OF THE LARGE
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO ATTEMPT
SUICIDE AND ARE SAVED, ARE HAPPY
TO BE ALIVE. NOT LIKE OH MY
GOODNESS NOW I'LL GO DO IT
AGAIN. THEY ARE HAPPY TO BE
ALIVE. THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF
STUDIES AND THE STUDY I ARE
OVERWHELMING A GUN IN THE HOME
INCREASES THE RISK OF PSEUDOSIDE
NOT ONLY TO -- SUICIDE NOT ONLY
GUN OWNER BUT EVERYBODY IN THE
HOME IN THE UNITED STATES, THE
GUN OWNER SPOUSE, THE GUN OWNER
CHILDREN. THERE'S BEEN LIKE 18
CASE CONTROL STUDIES. LOOKING
ALL DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS ALL --
LOTS AND LOTS, DOZEN -- MAYBE A
SCORE OF ECOLOGICAL STUDIES
LOOKING ACROSS CITIES ACROSS
STATES, ACROSS REGIONS. COUPLE
OF LONGITUDINAL STUDIES IN
CALIFORNIA BECAUSE CALIFORNIA IS
THE ONE PLACE WHICH HAS GOOD
DATA. THEY ALL SHOW HAVING A
GUN IN THE HOME IS BAD FOR THE
HOME IN TERMS OF SUICIDE. WE
TRIED TO LOOK AT MAYBE INSTEAD
PEOPLE IN THE HOME GUN OWNERS
AND FAMILIES ARE HAVE HIGHER
MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS OR
SOMETHING, ANSWER IS NO, NO, N .
SO THIS GIVES YOU A FEELING
ECOLOGICAL, NOT A STUDY. THIS
GIVES YOU A FEELING FOR THE SIZE
OF THE PROBLEM. STUDY LOOKS AT
ALL THE STATES AND YEARS AND
CONTROLS FOR LOTS OF THINGS,
GIVE YOU A FEELING FOR OVER A
DECADE, 2011 TO 2020 FOR
FEMALES. I PICK FEMALES I DON'T
KNOW JUST BECAUSE I WANTED
SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES LITTLE
KIDS. ALSO FIND SOMEBODY HARD TO
BLAME THE VICTIM. WHAT THIS SAYS
IS IF YOU LOOK AT UNINTENTIONAL
FIREARM, LOOK AT ALL THE STATES
HERE, LOOKING AT NOT THE STATES
WITH LOTS OF PROBLEMS, JUST
STATES WITH LOTS OF GUN AND
STATES WITH FEW GUNS. TURNS OUT
STATES WITH LOTS OF GUNS ALSO
HAVE WEAK GUN LAWS STATES WITH
FEW GUNS HAVE STRONGER GUN LAWS,
STATES WITH LOTS OF GUNS ARE
TYPICALLY THE SOUTHERN STATES IN
THE MOUNTAIN STATES,S THE STATES
WITH FEW GUNS ARE PLACES LIKE
NEW ENGLAND AND NEW YORK,
MASSACHUSETTS, WHERE I AM FROM,
NEW JERSEY WHERE THE SOPRANOS
ARE FROM AND HAWAII. WHAT THIS
SAYS IS THAT DURING THIS PERIOD,
THEY ARE ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER
OF FEMALE YEARS AT RISK. WE
RIDE TO KEEP GOING UNTIL WE GOT
ENOUGH STATES AND THEY WERE
COMPARABLE SO SAME NUMBER OF
TOTAL PEOPLE. THERE IS MORE
WOMEN IN LOW GUN STATES DURING
THIS PERIOD. THERE ARE 18 WOMEN
IN LOW GUN STATES ONE
INTENTIONALLY DIED IN FIREARM
DEATH COMPARED TO 96 IN HIGH GUN
STATES. 768 WOMEN IN LOW GUN
STATES, WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE
WITH A GUN COMPARED TO 6,610 IN
THE HIGH GUN STATES. 982 WOMEN
IN LOW DONE STATES WHO ARE
VICTIMIZED IN TERMS OF BEING
SHOT IN A HOMICIDE. COMPARED TO
4,136 IN THE HIGH GUN STATES.
THIS DOESN'T CONTROL, JUST A
SIZE OF THIS PROBLEM, IT IS
ENORMOUS. LOOKS LIKE A
DIFFERENCE IN SUICIDE ACROSS
STATES BUT LOOKING AT ALL 50
STATES NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
GUN OWNERSHIP LEVELS, AND
NON-GUN SUICIDE OR NON-GUN
HOMICIDE. ALL THE DIFFERENCES
IS IN TERMS OF GUNS. NEW ENGLAND
WHERE I AM FROM THERE'S SIX
STATES, THREE STATES WITH LOTS
OF GUN THREE WITH FEW GUNS. THE
ONES WITH LOTS OF GUNS HAVE ALL
THE STATES HAVE ABOUT THE SAME
NUMBER OF NON-FIREARM SUICIDES
BUT THE THREE STATES WITH LOTS
OF GUNS HAVE HIGH RATES OF
FIREARM STEW SIDE. THREE STATES
WITH LOW RATES OF GUNS HAVE LOW
SUICIDES. (INAUDIBLE) LIVE FREE
AND DIE NEW HAMPSHIRE. SO WE
HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DISSEMINATE
THIS MESSAGE OVER AND OVER AND
OVER. IT IS NOT LIKE WE THE ONLY
PEOPLE BUT GROUPS OF US, WE HAVE
BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN THE
LAST TEN YEARS THE ARMY
UNDERSTANDS THAT GUN REALLY
MATTER FOR SUICIDES, THE
VETERANS REALLY MATTER --
UNDERSTAND. EASY ACCESSIBILITY
GUN MATTER FOR SUICIDE. ALL THE
STATE SUICIDE PREVENTION
STRATEGIES AND PLANS NOW TALK
ABOUT GUNS AND SUICIDE. REALLY
MATTERS. WE TRIED TO DO A LOT
OF LETHAL MEANS COUNSELING
PROVIDERS AND GATE KEEPERS TO
HELP PHYSICIANS AND OTHERS
UNDERSTAND THIS. I TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE GUN OWNING
COMMUNITY. ONLINE HELPING
PROVIDERS, WE ABOUT OVER 15,000
CLINICIANS TAKE THIS ONLINE
TRAINING TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACCESS TO
LETHAL MEANS AND SUICIDE. ONE OF
THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE IS TRY
TO FUND COMMON GROUND WITH A
WOMAN NAMED CATHY BARBARA, A
WOMAN TO DEAL WITH TO TALK WITH
GUNNERS IN THIS WAY. SHE WORKED
WITH GUNNERS AROUND THE WORLD.
ONE OF THE NICE THINGS SHE DID
IS IN UTAH SHE GOT HERSELF
INVITED TO THIS SAFETY -- THIS
TRAINERS WHO WERE DOING
CONCEALED CARRY TRAINING. UTAH
IS A RED STATE, LOTS OF GUNS,
PROBABLY THE GUN TRAINING
CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. IT TRAINS
TRAINERS IN LOTS OF STATES. AND
SHE SAID YOU ARE DOING -- TRYING
TO DO A GOOD JOB REDUCING
ACCIDENTAL GUN DEATH BUT FOR
EVERY ACCIDENTAL GUN DEATH IN
UTAH THERE ARE 85 SUICIDE?
AND THEY SAID THAT CAN'T BE. HOW
IS THAT POSSIBLE? SHE SAID RAISE
YOUR HAND IF U YOU KNOW SOMEONE
WHO WOULD INTENTIONALLY KILL
THEMSELVESES WITH A GUN. A A FEW
HANDS UP UP. RAISE YOUR HAND INU
KNOW SOMEONE WHO COMMITTED
SUICIDE. THESE ARE OLDER WHITE
GUYS AND THAT'S HOW THEY DIE
MOSTLY. THEY SAID ALL RIGHT.
THAT IS REALLY POSSIBLE, SHE
SAID WELL, MAYBE WHAT IF WE
CREATED -- DO YOU GUYS TALK
SUICIDE AT ALL IN ANY TRAININGS?
IN THEY SAID NO. SHE, 8 TO 1.
WHAT IF WE WORK TOGETHER TO
CREATE A MODULE, WOULD YOU USE
IT? MAYBE LET'S SEE. WORK
TOGETHER AND CREATE AD MODULE
AND THEY LOVED THE MODULE, THEY
THINK IT IS THE GREATEST THING.
THE MODULE BASICALLY IS, IT IS A
MESSAGE SIMILAR FRIENDS DON'T
LET FRIENDS DRIVE DRUNK.
BASICALLY IT SAYS IF YOUR
FRIENDS IS GOING THROUGH A BAD
PATCH, IT SHOULD BE YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY AND YOU SHOULD
KNOW IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
TO QUOTE, IN THEIR WORDS BABY
SIT THE GUN. YOUR FRIEND IS
GETTING A DIVORCE, DRINKING HE'S
TALKING CRAZY, YOU SHOULD TAKE
HIS GUNS. NOT HE SHOULD HAND YOU
HIS GUNS HE SHOULD KNOW, YOU
SHOULDN'T HAVE YOUR GUNS FOR A
WHILE. HE GETS A NEW GIRLFRIEND,
THINGS GET BETTER, HE GETS THEM
BACK. THEY LOVE IT THEY CREATED,
THIS IS THEIR THING, THE BEST
PSA I HAVE EVER SEEN. THIS
GUNNER. AT GUN RANGE. HE IS A
GUNNER, AT THE GUN RANGE, WITH
NICE NOT TOO LOUD. BABA BABA
BABA. AND THEN HE TURNS TO THE
CAMERA AND SAYS LAST YEAR THINGS
WERE REALLY GOING BAD IN MY
LIFE. I JUST DON'T KNOW DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO AND
MY FRIEND BABY SAT MY GUN AND I
THINK IT SAVED MY LIFE. THEN HE
GOES BACK BUM BUM BUM BUM BUM.
THAT'S THE END. IT IS A BIG
SUCCESS STORY. THEY LOVE IT.
AND NOT ONLY THEY -- COME IN GUN
SAFETY, CONSIDER TEMPORARY
STORAGE OF FAMILY MEMBER MAYBE
SUICIDAL. THE PUBLIC HEALTH
APPROACH INCLUDES NOT ONLY
CHANGING THE PRODUCT OR NEW
ENVIRONMENT BUT CHANGING SOCIAL
NORMS AND FINDING ALLIES TO
CHANGE SOCIAL NORMS. TRYING TO
CHANGE SOCIAL NORMS ABOUT GUNS
AN SUICIDE. ONE NICE THING ABOUT
WORKING WITH SUICIDES, WE ARE
ALL -- THEY ARE APPROACHED BY
CATHY AS PARTS OF THE SOLUTION.
NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM. THEY
BECAME INTERESTED IN THIS.
BECAUSE THIS AFFECTS THEM. THEY
SAID WELL, LET'S TRY TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT -- TRY TO FIND
OUT MORE ABOUT THIS. SO THEY
SAID OKAY, LET'S -- WE WILL GET
THE LEGISLATURE TO DO A STUDY,
TO GET SOME DATA. SO THEY GOT
THE LEGISLATURE AND LIKE A
$250,000 AND PROBABLY GAVE US
THE MONEY AT HARVARD. WE FOUND
OUT THESE THINGS AND ONE THING
THEY REQUIRED IS THAT EVERYBODY
LINK DATA WITH US SO FOR THE
FIRST TIME EVER, WE HAVE DATA
LINKING SUICIDINGS WITH MEDICAL
CARE. EVERY SUICIDE, ATTEMPTED
SUICIDE, YOUTH GOT BACKGROUND
CHECK, DID THEY PASS A
BACKGROUND CHECK. DID THEY HAVE
A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT. WAS
THIS THEIR HONE GUN, DID THEY
SOMEHOW TRACING DATA. NOBODY HAS
DONE THIS BEFORE. NOBODY HAS
DONE THIS SINCE. WE CAN'T GET
PALACE MASS TO LINK THE DATA BUT
THEY ALREADY DO IT THERE. THEY
ALSO SAID THIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. WE THINK PEOPLE GUN
TRAINERS SHOULD DO SOMETHING
ABOUT SUICIDE. THEY SHOULD USE
THIS MODULE. THEY SAID HOW CAN
WE DO THIS, WE CAN TRY TO
CONVINCE ALL OF THEM BUT THAT IS
TOO HARD. SO MANY GUN TRAINERS.
WE WILL MAKE IT MANDATORY. WE
KNOW EVERYBODY IN THE
LEGISLATURE, SO NOW IT IS
REQUIRED IF YOU TEACH A
CONCEALED CARRY CLASS THEN YOU
HAVE A MODULE ABOUT GUN SUICIDE
THAT IS ONE OF THREE STATES,
MASSACHUSETTS IS ONE BECAUSE I
WAS ON SOME COMMITTEE AND PUSH
AND PUSHED IN MASSACHUSETTS. SO
ANYWAY,S A DECADE AGO SUICIDE
PREVENTION PRACTITIONERS WEREN'T
TALKING GUNS. NOW THEY ARE. A
DECADE AGO FIREARM EXPERTS
WEREN'T TALKING SUICIDE, NOW
THEY ARE BEGINNING TO. GUN SHOPS
GUN RANGES, IN 20 STATES WE
WORKED WITH, INCLUDE SUICIDE
PREVENTION OUTREACH AS PART OF
THEIR MISSION WHICH IS NICE FOR
GUN INNERS. BUT THE BIG PROBLEM,
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN THIS
LITTLE AREA. ONLY 30% OF
PHYSICIANS IN THE UNITED STATES
UNDERSTAND THAT A GUN ONLY
INCREASES THE RISK OF SUICIDE.
70% DO NOT UNDERSTAND, DO NOT
BELIEVE IT THOUGH THE EVIDENCE
IS OVERWHELMING. 85% ALMOST ALL
GUN OWNERS DON'T BELIEVE IT OR
UNDERSTAND IT SO THEY ARE
BRINGING INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS
PRODUCT IN THEIR HOUSE THAT
REALLY INCREASED THE SUICIDE
RATE THREEFOLD TO THEIR
CHILDREN, AND THEY DON'T
UNDERSTAND IT. AGAIN, AMAZON
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. THOSE BOOKS WERE
MENTIONED IN OUR STAFF MESSAGE.
TO REMIND EVERYONE WE HAVE A
RECEPTION ON THIS SNOW DAY I CAN
SAY THE -- THE PARTICIPANT TO
COOKIE RATIO IS QUITE -- IS VERY
MUCH IN YOUR FAVOR. SO ANYONE IS
FREE TO USE THE MICS IF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS, I WILL START FROM THE
ONLINE ONES. LET ME GO THE FIRST
ONE, THIS CAME IN EARLY. I HAVE
READ THAT SWITZERLAND AND
PERHAPS CANADA, SORRY MISSING,
THEY HAVE AS MANY OR MORE GUNS
PER CAPIPER CAPITA. IS THIS TRU,
WHY DO THEY HAVE FEWER GUN
DEATH?
SOMETHING TO DO WITH HEALTH
DISPARITIES OR MENTAL HEALTH?
>> LET ME TALK FIRST WITH
CANADA, CANADA DOESN'T HAVE
NEARLY AS MANY GUNS AS THE
UNITED STATES. MICHAEL MOORE
SAID THEY DID AND HE WAS
COMPLETELY WRONG AND SO
ANNOYING. SECONDLY, THERE ARE
GUNS ARE MOSTLY LONGANS WHEREAS
A LOT OF HANDGUNS MOSTLY
(INAUDIBLE) HANDGUNS WE HAVE
MILITARY WEAPONS THEY DON'T
THERE. AND THEY HAVE STRONG GUN
LAWS SO EXAMPLE DO YOU GET A GUN
THERE YOU HAVE A WAITING PERIOD,
YOU HAVE A LONG BACKGROUND
CHECK, MORE LIKE AN FBI CHECK
AND YOU HAVE TO TELL YOUR SPOUSE
AN E SPOUSE YOU ARE GETTING A
GUN. THEY HAVE TO APPROVE IT.
SO IT IS VERY DIFFERENT WORLD.
SWITZERLAND, PEOPLE HAVE DONE
THESE STUDY ABOUT SWITZERLAND IS
-- GOD I CAN'T REMEMBER I GET
CONFUSED WITH ISRAEL, IF WE HAD
THE GUN LAWS IN THE UNITED
STATES THAT THEY HAD IN
SWITZERLAND ALL THE RAD BY
GUNNERS WOULD COMPLAIN THIS IS
THE MOST UNFAIR SYSTEM. THEY
HAVE MUCH STRONGER GUN LAWS A
LOT OF THEIR GUNS LIKE A LOT OF
ISRAELI GUNS ARE MILITARY
WEAPONS. THEY -- YOU SAY YEAH
YOU HAVE GUNS BUT OWNED BY
MILITARY. THEY HAVE ALL THESE
REGULATIONS THEY HAVE TO BE
STORED CORRECTLY, IF AND
SEPARATELY FROM THE AMMUNITION.
IF THEY FIND YOU OPEN THE
AMMUNITION YOU CAN BE COURT
MARSHALLED. ONE THING TOO IS WE
KNOW THERE IS A CHANGE IN
SWITZERLAND SO REDUCED THE
NUMBER, I HATE PEOPLE WHO GO
INTO MILITARY SERVICE AND NOT
REALLY SUICIDE RATE BECAUSE IT
REDUCED THE SUICIDE RATE AMONG
THAT PARTICULAR AGE GROUP.
>> LET'S GO IN THE HOUSE.
(OFF MIC)
>> YEAH. SO MY QUESTION IS ABOUT
YOUTH AND HOW TO FIND ALLIES. IT
IS AMAZING THAT WOMAN WHO WENT
TO AND REALLY CONNECTED TO
PEOPLE AND THEN I THINK
SOMETHING LIKE GUN VIOLENCE, IT
IS JUST VERY HARD TO JUST
COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT YOUR
MORAL STATE OR HOW YOU ACTUALLY
FEEL ABOUT WHETHER YOU ARE
OWNING GUN OR NOT AND THEN YOU
KNOW SOME THINK IT IS GREAT,
SOME THINK IT IS A HORRIBLE
THING. AS A RESEARCHER PUBLIC
HEALTH RESEARCHER HOW DO YOU
OVERCOME THAT, BECAUSE I'M
SAYING IF YOU FAKE IT IT
(INAUDIBLE) AND YOU CAN'T FIND
ALLIES.
>> SO THE NOTION IS IT IS NOT --
GUNS ARE NOT -- IT IS BASICALLY
PEOPLE WHO OWN GUNS AN PEOPLE
WHO DON'T OWN GUNS ALL WANT
PEOPLE TO BE SAFE. NOT THE GUN
OWNERS OH WE WANT PEOPLE UNSAFE,
THEY THINK MORE SAFE THOUGH THE
EVIDENCE HAS SHOWN OTHERWISE BUT
NOT LIKE THE EVIDENCE FOR
SUICIDE IT IS OVERWHELMING BUT
FOR SOME THINGS IT IS NOT.
CERTAINLY WHAT THE EVIDENCE
SHOWS IS THAT IF YOU HAVE A GUN
IT WILL INCREASE THE CHANCE
UNINTENTIONAL FIREARM INJURY,
IT'S HARD TO BE INJURED WITH A
GUN IF NO ONE HAS A GUN AROUND
YOU. IT INCREASES THE EVIDENCE
IS STRONG INCREASE THE RISK THE
WOMAN IN THE HOUSE WILL GET
KILLED BUT THAT AGAIN, THE RISK
IS NOT LIKE MOST PEOPLE'S
HUSBANDS KILL THEIR WIVES THEY
DONE. VERY FEW DO BUT IF THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKELY TO IF THEY
HAVE A GUN ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY
THAT THE WOMAN WILL DIE. IT IS
FINDING ALLIES TURNS OUT NOT
THAT HARD BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE
BELIEVE IN MOST OF THE THINGS
THAT I BELIEVE IN, NOT ONLY
ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH BUT ALSO
THAT 90% OF THE U.S. POPULATION
KIDS, THAT BALLPARK WANT
UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS. THE
GUN OWNERS WANT IT. EVERYBODY
WANTS IT. WE JUST DON'T GET IT.
IF I HAD A LIST OF 30 KINDS OF
LAWS TO SEE AND I WOULD LIKE TO
SEE LOTS OF THINGS BESIDES THE
LAWS, THERE WOULD BE CONSENSUS
ABOUT WELL OVER HALF, GUN OWNERS
THEMSELVES NOT ONLY WITH
MAJORITY OF U.S. CITIZENS WANT
BUT GUN OWNSER WANT. WE JUST
DON'T GET THEM. WE DON'T HAVE A
SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS US TO GET ALL
THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD BE GOOD
FOR US SO HARD TO FIND ALLIES
AMONG LEADERS OF THE NRA BECAUSE
OF A DIFFERENT AGENDA BUT THE
AVERAGE PERSON IT'S EASY FOR
PEOPLE WHO WORK AT GUN RANGES
AND PEOPLE WHO OWN GUN SHOPS, IT
IS NOT HARD.
>> CAN I FOLLOW-UP WITH A
RELATED QUESTION? I'M PREACHING
TO THE CHOIR. WHY SO MUCH
RESISTANCE TO THESE SENSIBLE
RECOMMENDATIONS YOU MAKE? I
DIDN'T HEAR YOU SAY BAN GUNS.
YOUR MESSAGE IS RISK REDUCTION
AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
>> AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL THERE
IS NOT THAT MUCH RESISTANCE AT
ALL. EVERYBODY I TALK TO IS A
GUN OWNER SAYS THAT SOUNDS RIGHT
I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO TAKE
EVERYBODY ISOGONS. IT IS NOW
AGAINST THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO
DO THAT. THAT IS EVERY'S GUNS.
THIS IS HARM REDUCTI REDUCTION.
POLITICAL ISSUE AND
UNFORTUNATELY EVEN THE PEOPLE
WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOST OF
THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT TOO
MANY OF THEM VOID FOR PEOPLE,
TAKE MONEY FROM THE NATIONAL
RIFLE ASSOCIATION, AND OTHER
GROUPS, THEY ARE -- THEY TRY TO
CONVINCE EVERYBODY THAT YOU DO
ONE GOOD THING AND THAT IS GOING
TO LEAD TO TERRIBLE THINGS IN
THE FUTURE. IT IS A POLITICAL
ISSUE, WE HAVE ONE PARTY IN THE
UNITED STATES WHO IS COALESCED.
THIS IS UNFORTUNATELY PART OF
THE CULTURE WARS. ALL THESE
OTHER THINGS ABOUT PART OF THE
CULTURE WARS TOO. NOT JUST GUN
ISSUE. WE HAVE TO FIGURE HOW TO
SEPARATE THE -- SOME OF THE
SILLY THINGS IN CULTURE WARS.
>> SO I WAS -- I HAVE ALWAYS
LIKED THE PROPOSITIONS FOR
MAKING SAFER GUNS. YOU TALKED
ABOUT SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF THAT
IN YOUR PRESENTATION. AND I
PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE START WITH
GREAT TALK. ENJOYED IT. BUT TO
GET TO THE QUESTION, YOU
COMPARED GUN SAFETY AND CAR
SAFETY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
STRUCK ME ABOUT THAT IS CARS
HAVE A RELATIVELY SHORT LIFE ON
THE ROAD SO IN FIVE YEARS TIME
PEOPLE WILL HAVE USUALLY SWAPPED
OUT CARS, THERE ARE CARS ON THE
ROAD LONGER CERTAINLY BUT
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IS AROUND 5
YEARS.
>> IT IS LIKE 15 YEARS.
>> EITHER WAY.
>> YOU ARE TOO RICH.
>> I AM GIVING OUT MONEY FOR
ANYBODY WHO WANTS IT. EVEN SO, I
HAVE A SENSE THAT THE LIFE SPAN
OF A CAR IS SHORTER THAN THE
LIFE SPAN OF A GUN. HOW DO YOU
WHAT IS THE APPROACH FOR ONCE --
IF WE CAN GET THROUGH THE
GETTING TO A POINT WE MAKE SAFER
GUNS HOW DO YOU SWAP THOSE GUNS?
THE SAFER ONES OUT THERE.
>> WHEN YOU TALK DURABLE GOODS
THERE IS AN ISSUE IN THE INJURY
WORLD SO THAT SOFAS WERE LESS
FLAMMABLE, OVER TIME, TIME
PASSES, WHICH IS NICE, AND THE
STOCK CHANGES AND CHANGES,
SECONDLY, MOST, THERE IS A LOT
OF OLD GUNS OUT THERE, PEOPLE
DON'T USE OLD GUNS OFTEN.
PARTICULARLY IN CRIME, IF YOU
ARE SOMEONE GOING TO COMMIT A
CRIME YOU DON'T WANT ANT OLD
GUN. THE OLD GUN MAY NOT WORK AS
WELL BUT SECONDLY, THERE MAYBE
PROBLEMS. HOW DID YOU GET THE
OLD GUN, YOU GOT IT MAYBE
ILLEGALLY, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT
MAYBE A BODY ON IT. THIS GUN MAY
HAVE BEEN USED TO DO OTHER
THINGS WHICH NOW YOU CAN BE
CHARGED WITH. SO ALMOST ALWAYS
PEOPLE ARE USING PRETTY NEW
GUNS. SO IT IS LIKE FOR IN THE
CITIES WHERE THERE AREN'T MANY
GUNS, IT IS TYPICALLY A NEW
GENERATION COMES ALONG, HOW DO
THEY GET GUNS? NOT USE THEIR
FATHER'S GUNS THEY TRYING TO GET
THE NEW GUNS THE HOTTEST GUNS
WHATEVER. AND IF THE YOU MAKE IT
HARDER FOR THEM OR MAKE THEM --
IT IS VERY HYMNFUL. -- HELPFUL.
ONE OF THE THINGS IN POST
PSYCHOLOGY AND ECONOMICS WORLD,
I HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN IS YOU
WANT PEOPLE NOT TO DO THINGS AS
MUCH JUST MAKE IT HARDER, JUST
RAISE THE PRICE. THAT'S WHAT WE
LEARNED ABOUT SUGER SWEETENED
BEVERAGE IS TOXIC, RAISE THE
PRICE A LITTLE AND IT HAS
EFFECT. THAT IS WHAT IT IS
DOING, RAISING THE PRICE TO MAKE
IT HARDER TO GET THE WRONG KINDS
OF THINGS. THE LONGER WE ALLOW
AK 47s OUT THERE, MORE PEOPLE
BUY HEM THE HARDER TO GET RID OF
THEM. AUSTRALIA FOUGHT BACK --
BOUGHT BACK ALL THEIR ASSAULT
WEAPONS AND AT LEAST 18 YEARS
STOPPED HAVING MASS SHOOTINGS.
WHO KNOWS CAUSE AND EFFECT BUT
GEE, THEY HAD A LOT, 11 PREVIOUS
18 YEARS AND ZERO IN THE NEXT 18
YEARS SO LOOKS GOOD. BUT THERE'S
THEN YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT DO
YOU WANT -- PEOPLE SAY YOU WANT
TO GRANDFATHER THINGS OR NOT OR
YOU CAN BUY THINGS BACK OR JUST
LET TIME -- PUTTING IN AIR BAGS
IS THE SAME. CARS LAST 15 TO 17
YEARS, TAKE A LONG TIME, I CAN
TELL YOU AT MY AGE 17 YEARS DOES
NOT SEEM THAT LONG ANY MORE.
>> CONCLUDE WITH A EXCELLENT
FROM -- THIS IS THE NIH OFFICE
OF BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL
SCIENCES RESEARCH. SO THEY WRITE
SOMEONE WRITES THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TALK. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
SURE THE NIH AUDIENCE IS AWARE
THAT THERE ARE -- THERE HAS BEEN
AN ACTIVE AND GROWING PORTFOLIO
OF NIH SUPPORTED RESEARCH IN
FIREARM INJURY PREVENTION.
INCLUDING SUICIDE PREVENTION
ADDRESSING MANY ISSUES DISCUSSED
TODAY AND MUCH OF THE WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES GUN
OWNERS, ET CETERA. THEY GIVE A
WEBSITE.
>> LET ME ASK YOU THIS. WHAT
PERCENT OF THE NIH BUDGET ARE WE
TALKING ABOUT?
>> LET ME JUST SEE.
OPERATOR: EPSILON? THAT SOUND
LIKE THE RIGHT NUMBER?
>> HIGHER THAN ZERO.
>> THE FASTEST GROWING FROM
VIRTUALLY ZERO.
>> THERE YOU GO. CME CODE IS
50108.
>> I WANT TO THANK DR. HEMENWAY
FROM COMING BRAVING THE COLD
WEATHER AND THOSE IN THE
AUDIENCE ATTENDING THE LECTURE
AND THOSE ONLINE, ENJOY YOUR HOT
CHOCOLATE AND WE'LL EAT THE
COOKIES. UNTIL NEXT TIME. THANK 1658 01:02:00,083 YOU.