Dear Future President of the United States,

Gun control is a big problem because more than 30,000 people die from getting shot or murdered a year! That is not even how many people die from cancer and other diseases that people get. That is people a year, more than 30 people get murdered or shot a day!

In the article "Alcohol Abuse Statistics - facts about alcoholism & addiction - drugs", "Why Do People Kill Each Other? - Quota",and "USA Gun Violence Statistics" says "the US has an estimated 283 million guns in civilian hand." Each year about 4.5 million firearms, including approximately 2 million handguns, are sold in the United States. An estimated 2 million second hand firearms are sold each year. The percentage of American households with a gun has been steadily declining (high of 54% in 1977 to 33% in 2009). The average number of guns per owner has increased from 4.1 in 1994 to 6.9 in 2004. More than 30,000 people are killed by firearms each year in this country. More than 30 people are shot and murdered each day. ½ of them are between the ages of 18 and 35. ⅓ of them are under the age of 20. Homicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-24 year-old. And the primary cause of death among African Americans of that age group. Eleven times for a completed or attempted suicide. Seven times in a criminal assault or homicide. Four times in an unintentional shooting death or injury. People kill people for self defense, drunk, drugged, competition, betrayal in relationship, suicide & others.

Drugs and young people are uneducated on the use of guns. Improved use of guns and limited restriction of allowed. Youth who drink are 7.5 times more likely to use other illegal drugs and fifty times more likely to use cocaine than young people who never drink. One survey found that 32% of the heavy drinkers over 12 were also illegal drug users. In 2005, 6.6% of the US population aged 12 or older, or 16 million people, reported heavy drinking (binge drinking on at least five days of the past thirty days). Of the 3.9 million Americans who received treatment for a substance abuse problem in 2005, 2.5 million of them were treated for alcohol use. There were 6,570 deaths in England in 2005 from causes directly linked to alcohol use. In 2006, alcohol-related deaths in England rose to 8,758. This amounts to an annual increase of 7% from the previous year. According to one study, of the 490 million people in the European Union, more than 23 million are dependent on alcohol. In Europe, alcohol contributes to nearly one in ten of all cases of illness and premature deaths each year. 39% of all traffic deaths involved alcohol in 2005. 40% of violent crimes occur under the influence of alcohol.

On the other hand people that have guns (can) us the guns illegally. People may think I am wrong because they think people should be able to carry guns everywhere they go. Also people think gun laws are too strict and should be less gun laws. The coalition to stop gun violence agrees that ‘many people that are for gun control laws believe that getting a gun is too easy.’ Individuals with misdemeanor criminal convictions, DUI offenses, past domestic abuse restraining orders, and histories of voluntary commitment to psychiatric institutions can and do obtain permits legally.

People should have to take a gun safety class before able to buy a gun. There should be more gun training. Increased regulations on gun ownership. There should be way less violence on TV and video games. No selling drugs and alcohol to anyone.

Gun control should be more strict to decrease violence crimes and murder.

Sincerely,

Kyleigh K.