‘These deaths are not inevitable’: state gun control laws reduce children’s firearm deaths, study shows

States that enact stricter gun control measures show a decrease in the leading cause of death of US children

Guns have been the leading cause of death among US children since 2020. A new study shows a clear path to addressing this scourge and saving kids' lives: state gun control laws.

The study, published this month in Jama Pediatrics, reveals that states which enacted stricter gun control measures following the 2010 McDonald v Chicago supreme court ruling - a landmark decision that struck down Chicago's ban on handguns and, in effect, expanded the second amendment nationwide - have seen a relative decrease in firearm deaths among children aged up to 17. By contrast, states that expanded gun freedoms have seen a notable increase in kids' deaths from gun violence, including by homicide, by suicide and from accidents.