Columbus’s leading physician responds to gun violence being labeled a widespread health emergency

Gun violence in the United States has been declared a national public health crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General amid increasing deaths related to firearms. A 40-page advisory has outlined the statistics around gun-related deaths and proposed solutions for lawmakers to reduce those numbers.

Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts expressed her concern about the alarming data surrounding gun violence deaths and welcomed the overdue designation of a public health crisis by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Roberts mentioned that Columbus has long recognized gun violence as a public health issue and has been working towards addressing it.

The surgeon general’s report goes on to suggest the banning of assault weapons, stricter regulation on the gun industry, and implementing universal background checks. Roberts stated that her department will review these recommendations to see how they can complement the existing efforts in place.

Furthermore, Roberts mentioned that additional support and funding, especially from the federal level, could help to expand the work being done to address gun violence in Columbus. Despite some pushback from organizations like the NRA, the surgeon general’s report has garnered attention and sparked discussions about the steps needed to tackle gun violence effectively.