More kids survive to graduate from high school, have families, and live full adult lives in states with stricter gun laws, according to a new study.

The study examined how state policies impacted firearm deaths of children and teenagers between 2011 and 2023, a period when states took radically different approaches to gun laws. 

During that time, about 23,000 young people died from gun injuries in the United States. But in the nine states with the strictest gun laws, youth firearm deaths did not increase. In California, Maryland, New York, and Rhode Island — all states with strong gun violence prevention laws — youth firearm deaths dropped.

Gun violence is the number one killer of young people in Pennsylvania, but it doesn’t have to be. Right now, our lawmakers have an opportunity to pass a secure gun storage law that could drastically reduce youth firearm deaths in the Commonwealth.

Send a message to your legislator now telling them to protect PA kids by passing lifesaving secure storage legislation.

Over half of U.S. states have laws mandating that gun owners secure their firearms in a way that protects public health and safety. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania is not among them. 

When adults leave their guns accessible to children and teens, tragedies happen. A bullet is fired when siblings play with what they think is a harmless toy. A teen going through a hard time makes an impulsive and deadly decision. Yet, research shows that the majority of U.S. gun owners do not practice safe firearm storage.

We have the data, and we know how to prevent needless deaths of children. There’s no excuse for our legislators not to take decisive action to save kids’ lives.

You can read the study about how state gun laws influence youth firearm deaths in JAMA Pediatrics.

I will continue to keep you updated on ways you can take action.

In community,

Adam Garber
Executive Director
CeaseFirePA

P.S. Friend, we deserve a future with more birthdays and fewer funerals. Use our tool to send a message to your legislator telling them to protect PA kids by passing secure storage legislation.

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CeaseFirePA
CeaseFirePA
P.O. Box 60095
Philadelphia, PA 19102
United States
215-923-3151 | [email protected]

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