Posted February 6, 2004

Some medical organizations have urged doctors to tell their patients about the dangers of guns.  We all know that misusing guns can be dangerous, but the risks of guns have been blown way out of proportion by groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).  Even worse is the tendency of some medical organizations to inject their political views favoring gun control into patient education. That's simply unethical.

Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership, a project of the Claremont Institute, is a nationwide network of physicians, scientists, medical students, and others who support the safe and lawful use of firearms. We believe that average Americans, including young people, can be trusted to use firearms safely for the benefit of themselves and their communities. You don't need a doctor lecturing you about guns, especially if he or she has no knowledge of firearms. And firearm safety is not something you learn in medical school.

Ever since Thomas Jefferson advised his young nephew to take his gun along on walks, American youth have learned judgment, respect for life, and trustworthiness through the shooting sports.

Here are the real facts on gun safety:

• Fatal gun accidents have steadily decreased in number for over 70 years.
• This decrease has occurred as the population has more than doubled and as gun ownership has increased.
• Organized shooting activities help kids develop character and learn how to be safe around guns.
• More than 3 times as many people die from accidental drowning than from gun accidents.
• Kids who are taught by their parents to shoot safely are less likely to become delinquents and use drugs than those who have no familiarity with guns.

You don't have to be afraid of guns. If you provide simple safety instruction for your family, you can confidently keep guns in your house for any lawful purpose, including target shooting, home defense, or hunting.  Here are three ways to get more information on gun safety instruction for adults or kids:

• Contact your state firearm owners association.
• Check out the National Rifle Association's many gun safety programs.
• Look at the National Shooting Sports Foundation's Project ChildSafe program.

Gun safety facts are based on statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, the National Safety Council, and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.