Gun violence in the United States has been declared a national public health crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General, with a 40-page advisory outlining statistics on deaths caused by firearms and offering suggestions to lawmakers on ways to reduce gun-related injuries and fatalities. Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts expressed her support for the Surgeon General’s designation, which she believes is long overdue.
Roberts mentioned that recognition of gun violence as a public health issue has been a priority in Columbus for years. She acknowledged what she believed to be a delayed response from the Surgeon General, noting that local leaders had previously made similar statements. Despite this, Roberts sees an opportunity in the Surgeon General’s report to further enhance the existing efforts of her office and expand their current work.
The report from the Surgeon General calls for measures such as banning assault weapons, stricter regulations on the gun industry, and enforcing universal background checks. Roberts expressed a desire to use these recommendations to address the critical issue of gun violence through a public health lens in Columbus and identified potential for increased funding at both the federal and state levels to implement them effectively.
However, there has been opposition to the report, with the National Rifle Association (NRA) criticizing it as an extension of the Biden Administration’s “war on law-abiding gun owners.” Despite this pushback, Roberts remains committed to addressing gun violence through a public health lens in Columbus and sees it as an opportunity for meaningful change that will ultimately benefit communities across the country.
