US Surgeon General Declares Gun Violence a Public Health Emergency

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has declared gun violence a public health crisis, calling for a ban on automatic rifles, universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulation of the industry, and laws restricting use in public spaces. He hopes to remove politics from an issue that has bitterly divided lawmakers, stating that a majority of Americans or their family members have experienced gun violence. This advisory is the first major report from a surgeon general and aims to alter the perception of gun violence's danger, similar to how a 1960s report on tobacco led to changes in its regulation. The declaration comes after two consecutive weekends of widespread shootings across the country, with Murthy emphasizing that people want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods safely.