May 25, 2023
The Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) applauds recent efforts by the St. Paul City Council and the state Legislature to help prevent injuries and deaths through additional firearm safety measures.
“Safely stored firearms will help reduce firearm accidents, deaths, and injuries,” said MMA President Will Nicholson, MD. “Statistics show that more work is needed when it comes to keeping children and adolescents safe, but progress is happening.”
Firearms recently became the number one cause of death for children in the United States, surpassing motor vehicle deaths and those caused by other injuries. According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, more than half of all U.S. gun owners—including 55% of gun owners with children in the home - do not practice safe firearm storage. In addition, an estimated 82% of adolescent firearm suicides involve a gun belonging to a family member.
On May 24, the St. Paul City Council passed an ordinance that will make it a crime to store or leave a loaded or unloaded firearm in a place where an unauthorized person can access it.
The recently completed legislative session saw laws passed that expand background check requirements for private firearm sales and transfers, and a new extreme risk protection order (also known as a “red flag law”), allowing family members and law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily restrict firearm access for those at risk of harming themselves or others.
“The MMA will continue to advocate for keeping all Minnesotans safe,” Nicholson said. “It’s encouraging, though, to see the recent successes at the Capitol and at City Hall.”
About the Minnesota Medical Association
The Minnesota Medical Association is a non-profit professional association representing physicians, residents and medical students. With more than 10,000 members, the MMA is dedicated to being the leading voice of medicine to make Minnesota the healthiest state and the best place to practice.
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