A recent tragedy in our lives has made us realize the critical importance of universal background checks. A close friend, suffering from severe mental illness and alcohol addiction, committed suicide with a firearm.
As a convicted felon, he wouldn’t have been able to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer, but he easily acquired one in a private sale.
Question 3 closes a loophole that exists in the law allowing felons and the severely mentally ill to easily obtain a gun. Maybe expanded background checks wouldn’t have helped our friend, but they might have made a difference.
And lives have been saved in the 18 states where this measure is already in place. Federal statistics show there are 48 percent fewer suicides committed with firearms in states that have universal background checks.
Please support this sensible gun safety referendum. It just might give those suffering from mental illness a little more time to get the help they need.
Jan Chapman and Bruce Moore
Cape Elizabeth
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