Gun Violence Statement Follow Up

Following LACMA president Dr. Omer Deen’s message last week relative to gun violence prevention, LACMA CEO Gustavo Friederichsen shared CMA President Dr. Donaldo Hernandez’ recent statement.

"On behalf of its almost 50,000 members, the CMA supports Governor Newsom’s efforts to address our nation’s gun violence epidemic while respecting responsible gun ownership. While California has one of the lowest gun death rates in the country due to its gun laws, the entire country is suffering the effects of mass shootings.

"Gun violence is a public health crisis that impacts all Americans. Guns have become the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens1, and in 2021 – the most recent year for which data is available2 – more Americans died of gun-related injuries than any other year on record.

"Physicians know firsthand the damages that firearms are causing in our communities. The ideas put forward by the Governor are reasonable, evidence-based solutions that enjoy broad public support and, more importantly, will save lives and keep communities safe.

"Understanding that a handful of our members might be NRA members, I’d like to stress that our clear and consistent message has been “respecting responsible gun ownership, coupled with continued education, stronger background checks, and a ban on assault weapons.”

Visit ProjectSeeChange.org for resources and information. Project See Change is a growing community of organizations around the country joining forces to provide non-partisan, evidenced-based solutions for addressing gun violence as a public health crisis facing our nation, physicians, first responders, parents, and children.