Commentary

Surge in firearm sales tied to COVID-19 fears, uncertainty presents risks


 

References

1. Levine PB and McKnight R. Science. 2017 Dec 8;358(6368):1324-8.

2. Levin D. “Coronavirus and firearms: Are gun shops essential businesses?” The New York Times. 2020 Mar 25.

3. Robertson L. “Neither hurricanes nor 9/11 caused as big a surge in gun sales as coronavirus.” Miami Herald. 2020 Mar 25.

4. Moyer MW. Scientific American. 2017 Oct;317(4):54-63.

5. Kellermann AL et al. J Trauma. 1998 Aug;45(2):263-7.

6. Wintemute GJ et al. New Engl J Med. 1999 Nov 18;341(21):1583-9.

7. Firearm Justifiable Homicides and Non-Fatal Self-Defense Gun Use: An Analysis of Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Crime Victimization Survey Data. Washington: Violence Policy Center; 2019 Jul.

8. Towers S et al. bioRxiv. 2019 Apr 18;613687.

Dr. Rozel is the medical director of resolve Crisis Services at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital and president of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry. He also is associate professor of psychiatry and an adjunct professor of law at the University of Pittsburgh. He has no conflicts of interest but has worked for a gun dealer to teach sales staff how to recognize people in crisis (rather than sell a gun).

Pages

Recommended Reading

Use of opioids, SSRIs linked to increased fracture risk in RA
MDedge Rheumatology
RA associated with higher risk of psychiatric disorders
MDedge Rheumatology
Beware nonopiate meds with high street value
MDedge Rheumatology
Colonoscopy: Should 45 be the new 50?
MDedge Rheumatology
Anxiety and depression widespread among arthritis patients
MDedge Rheumatology
More than 40% of U.K. physicians report binge drinking
MDedge Rheumatology
Half of SLE patients have incident neuropsychiatric events
MDedge Rheumatology
Physicians and health systems can reduce fear around COVID-19
MDedge Rheumatology
Is COVID-19 leading to a mental illness pandemic?
MDedge Rheumatology
Psychiatrists deemed ‘essential’ in time of COVID-19
MDedge Rheumatology