Suicides and Firearm Control Laws

Abstract

This article empirically examines the relationship between suicides and firearm control laws. Firearm license to purchase or waiting period to purchase laws were found to reduce a state's suicide rate of white males aged 20-64 by three suicides per 100, 000 population. Examination of the suicide rates in the six states designated by the National Rifle Association as having the most restrictive controls over firearm purchases and all other states found that the suicide rate was lower by approximately three suicides per 100,000 population in these six states. Using an index to measure the overall degree of firearm control within a state, the empirical results showed that the difference in the number of suicides between the states with the greatest and smallest amount of control was 4 per 100,000 population.