In recent years, deaths in children and adolescents have increased worryingly, and contrary to what one might think, the COVID-19 pandemic is not to blame, as there are other causes that have led this age group to lose their lives. , such is the case of access to firearms, so it is necessary to create real controls for them.
During the Hecho en California radio program, hosted by Marco Gutierrez, Anna Lee Mraz, CEO of Peninsula 360 Press, pointed out that the deaths of children and adolescents have increased due to firearms, which have been used to commit homicide and suicide.
And it is that for a long time, in the United States, news about shootings, attacks or suicides in schools have not stopped circulating, which has worried parents and the community in general, about the safety of children.
“I see my son's school and I feel that the fences are not high enough and glass doors should be avoided. I think it is a fear that all mothers and fathers who have our children in the United States have. It is a latent fear, and the solution is obviously not in making the fences higher or in making impenetrable doors, but in creating real access controls for firearms,” he said.
According to specialists gathered at a press conference held by the Ethnic Media Services organization, there is a big difference between the deaths that occur in Afro-descendant and white children, since most of the deaths of the former are due to homicide, while the latter for suicide.
In this sense, Mraz commented on the need to monitor the mental health of children and adolescents, since this is one of the reasons why violence and the use of firearms have increased.
“Without a doubt, the first point is to have gun control in this country. I believe that it is prevailing, it is an emergency, it is not lived as such but I believe so, I believe that it is a national emergency that there is no facilitated access to weapons, he stressed.
«In my opinion? The weapons? they should be completely prohibited, but we are going step by step. I would feel calmer if there were more severe control and in any case, whether or not there are weapons, I believe that mental health prevention for all citizens must be carried out, it is a right, and also access to healthcare in terms of Mental health for all," he declared.
In this sense, Gutiérrez pointed out that "we can have problems with the mental health of children and people, but if there was not so much access to weapons, they would try to commit other crimes, but they would not have the facility to grab a weapon."
You may be interested in: Increased mortality rate in children and adolescents in the US is concerning.
