Maine legislators will soon have a chance to save children’s lives in our state. Passing L.D. 759, the “safe storage” bill, would prevent children from easily accessing firearms in their homes.
Without affecting the rights and liberties of gun owners, safe storage mandates keeping firearms under lock and key: 1) to prevent children from finding a loaded gun and accidentally discharging it, and 2) to reduce the rate of suicides, the second leading cause of death for Maine young people aged 10 to 24.
As a retired Maine teacher, I remember with great sadness the death of one of our middle school students. After an altercation with his mother, the youngster grabbed his dad’s gun and killed himself. Teenagers are impulsive, and a gun that is easily accessed is an invitation to tragedy.
A study published in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that safe storage of firearms could prevent up to 32 percent of youth gun deaths. I strongly urge support of L.D. 759.
Connie Cross
South Casco
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