State Gun Laws and Firearm Suicide Rates

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Criminology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Numerous states have enacted firearm laws to limit access for high-risk individuals.
• Evidence on the effectiveness of these laws in reducing firearm suicides is mixed due to methodological limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between state firearm laws and firearm-related suicide deaths across all 50 US states from 1976 to 2024.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study using difference-in-differences fixed-effects panel regression with Prais-Winsten correction.
• Annual state-level data on firearm-related suicides from 1976-2024 obtained from CDC WISQARS.
• Six firearm laws were analyzed with a 2-year lag: handgun permits, waiting periods, concealed carry permits, minimum age, extreme risk protection orders, and dealer permits.

Main Results:

• Handgun permit laws, waiting periods, and concealed carry licenses were significantly associated with decreased firearm suicide rates (e.g., waiting periods: -12.5%).
• These laws were not associated with nonfirearm suicide rates, serving as a negative control.
• States implementing 1, 2, or all 3 of these laws (handgun permits, waiting periods, concealed carry permits) showed progressively lower firearm suicide rates.

Conclusions:

• Permit-to-purchase requirements for handguns, waiting periods, and concealed carry licenses are independently and cumulatively linked to lower firearm suicide rates.
• These findings highlight the potential of specific firearm regulations in suicide prevention efforts.
• The study underscores the importance of robust data and methodological approaches in evaluating firearm policy impacts.