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Health & Fitness

Doctor's In: Gun Regulation Revisited

I've heard all the arguments and for the sake of Public Health and community safety gun control and mental health resouces a must.

I have kept an open mind and listened to several programs allowing dialogue among gun rights advocates and those who would favor restrictions. I have concluded the following.

Revisiting and addressing needed resources for mental health services finds common agreement. Criminals, and the mentally ill, should not have guns. No one found fault with that. All agreed that current gun laws should be enforced. All were genuinely in agreement that school shootings and gun murders should be prevented to the greatest extent possible.

How to address gun related crimes remains contentious and positions on either side of this issue remained rigid. My own position remains unchanged. 

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Comprehensive background checks for any person purchasing any firearm; Guns can only be purchased from authorized dealers; assault (military) style weapons should be banned; magazines should be limited to seven rounds; every firearm should be registered to the owner; severe penalties should be in place when these policies are not followed.

Our mental health system should be adequately funded and those who are mentally ill should have access and if necessary be required to take their medication. When necessary, the severely mentally ill must be institutionalized.

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When individual rights conflict with the Public Health and community safety, the decision should give Public Health and community safety the first priority.              

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