In the late twentieth century, the NRA began to wield significant political influence at the national and state levels, especially among conservative politicians. Gun rights groups, such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), aim to prevent new gun control legislation and, if possible, roll back existing legislation. Though there are differences along party lines, a 2021 Pew Research poll found that 53 percent of Americans believe gun control laws should be more strict, and 14 percent believe they should be less strict. Many Americans support the right to bear arms but also believe that the government has the right to regulate firearms in the interest of public safety. The vast majority of victims (86 percent) are male. Firearm-related injuries rank in the top five causes of death for United States citizens up to age sixty-four.Īssault by firearm accounts for 70 percent of nonfatal firearm-related injuries, while unintentional injury accounts for twenty percent. Among firearm-related deaths in the United States in 2020, about 54 percent were suicides and about 43 percent were homicides.

Supporters of gun control seek tighter restrictions on the sale and circulation of firearms to decrease the high incidence of gun-related violence and deaths in the United States, while opponents argue they have a constitutional right to own and bear firearms.ĭata from 2020 showed there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths in the United States, as reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the United States, gun control is a highly controversial topic that engenders debate surrounding public safety, state and federal government oversight, and individual rights. Gun control refers to legislation and regulations that place controls on the ownership of firearms, restrict certain types of firearms, or determine where they may be carried.

3 million daily gun carriers