Statistical evidence shows that certain gun policies are linked to significant reductions in firearm suicides— the leading cause of gun deaths in the United States.
| Policy/Factor | Effect on Firearm Suicide Rate | Effect on Overall Suicide Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Strong gun safety laws | Significant decrease[1][2] | Significant decrease[2] |
| Gun lock laws | 2.68 vs 8.45 per 100,000[2] | 9.20 vs 15.28 per 100,000[2] |
| Open carry restrictions | 5.58 vs 9.56 per 100,000[2] | 12.16 vs 16.50 per 100,000[2] |
| Lower gun ownership (top vs. low) | 9,749 vs 2,606 per period[3] | Explained difference in overall[3] |
| 1% decrease in gun ownership | −3.5% firearm suicide[3] | −1.5% overall suicide[3] |
| Permit-to-purchase laws | Lower youth suicide[4] | Lower overall suicide[4] |
| Secure storage | Lower youth gun suicides[4] | Not quantified |
Statistically, regulations that make firearms less accessible, such as through stricter purchasing laws, mandatory safe storage, and limiting ownership rates, are consistently associated with sizable reductions in suicide deaths by firearm and, to a significant degree, overall suicide deaths ⬅️[1][2][3][4][5].