Public health experts agree that effective gun control can help prevent the misuse of guns, leading to death and injury.
As firearms have been recognized as a threat to public health in industrialized countries, Canadian public health experts have long advocated preventive measure to reduce preventable firearm injuries and deaths. The evidence is clear, gun control has saved lives.
Following the introduction of the Firearms Act in 1995, it has been recognized that strong controls on all firearms have helped to significantly reduce gun-related deaths in Canada.
Public health experts have linked Canada’s strong gun control laws with the significant decline in suicides in Canada. Moreover, in 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report on suicide prevention in which it stipulates that an effective strategy to prevent suicide is to control more tightly the easy access to firearms. Learn about the importance of gun control in suicide prevention strategies, here.
Public health experts have made many important contributions to the debate on gun control in Canada. Here you will find selected quotes on the issue from expert testimony, briefs and association websites.