Gun violence has created a widespread cycle of trauma and fear that is damaging Americans’ mental health, making children afraid to go to school and adults afraid to go to public places, Surgeon General says. Vivek Murthy said Tuesday in announcing a public health emergency.
Murthy’s report cites the mental health toll that goes beyond immediate victims as he advocated for legislation in Congress to end gun violence. Murthy pointed to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the 2022 law Congress passed after mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, as evidence that lawmakers can work together on this issue. The law, signed by President Joe Biden, strengthened background checks and provided federal funding for mental health interventions.
Yet “a deep sense of fear” now pervades American society, Murthy told POLITICO, linking it to high-profile mass shootings. “We think about where many of these mass shootings are happening – in schools, at parades, at concerts, in houses of worship – these are part of the fundamental components of our daily lives.”
Although deaths from mass shootings account for only 1 percent of gun fatalities, they play a big role in how safe Americans feel, Murthy said.
The report cites a survey showing that half of 14- to 17-year-olds in the US are concerned about school shootings, with 6 in 10 saying they have “recently thought about what would happen if a person with a firearm enters their home.” school or a school nearby.
Meanwhile, nearly 80 percent of adults say they are concerned about the prospect of a mass shooting, and more than a third of adults say they avoid going to events or certain places for fear of being shot.
Why it matters: General advice from surgeons is not issued frivolously or frequently.
Some of these have influenced the course of public health, such as Luther Terry’s 1964 report on cigarettes, which helped change American perceptions of smoking.
Murthy’s report endorses policies such as universal background checks and safe firearm storage laws, regulating guns like other consumer products, and increased funding for gun violence research, community-based violence prevention initiatives, and emergency preparedness programs.
“This is not one of those problems where there is one simple solution that can solve 90 percent of the problem,” he said.
The backstory: Murthy’s advice is part of his broader mental health agenda. He is warned of the dangers posed by social media and the overlapping risks of isolation and loneliness.
Murthy drew ire from the National Rifle Association when President Barack Obama first nominated him as surgeon general in 2013 because of Murthy’s past comments on guns, including a 2012 tweet in which he wrote, “Tired of politicians playing politics with guns , lives are at risk because they fear the NRA. Guns are a health care problem.”
The arms group would delay his confirmation by more than a year, with Murthy assuring senators during his confirmation hearing that he had no plans to cause a stir. “I have no intention of using my office as surgeon general as a pulpit for gun control,” he said.
He largely kept that promise while serving Obama, focusing instead on the opioid crisis.
In the years since, the public conversation has changed. In 2015, the American Medical Association, the nation’s largest physician organization, classified gun violence as a public health problem. The NRA’s power has declined due to internal financial scandals.
But the gun violence continues unabated.
As Murthy’s report shows, gun violence in America in 2022 is in many ways worse than ever, with more than 48,204 people killed by guns, down slightly from reaching a three-decade peak in 2021.
