Focusing on mental health improves gun control

Progress on gun safety laws in Augusta has been slow, but there has been clear progress over the last week, with increased interest in the law's impact on mental illness.

Lawmakers spent hours Wednesday considering proposals that include creating a 72-hour waiting period for gun purchases, banning bump stocks and other repeating fire devices, and expanding background checks to include private sales.

Governor Mills' background check proposal would also expand access to mental health crisis centers across the state and amend the state's yellow flag law to make it easier for police to take people into protective custody. Maine is the only state with a yellow flag law.

We note that Maine's yellow flag law, in its current form (requiring protective custody and mental health evaluations), stigmatizes mental illness by assuming a link between mental illness and violence. I was shocked by the testimony of physician David Maltz. Red flag laws, which allow law enforcement, friends and family to apply to court for weapons restrictions without the need for a medical diagnosis, have been accepted as the gold standard, already in place in 21 U.S. states. This goes a long way in dispelling this stigma. .

Maltz made a further thoughtful contribution to the 72-hour waiting period in a letter to the editor published last week.

“An often overlooked fact when discussing gun violence is that 89% of gun deaths in Maine are suicides, and more than half of suicide deaths in Maine are caused by guns,” Maltz said. he wrote. “Impulsivity is a contributing factor to many suicide attempts. …This impulsivity is why it is important to have a legal waiting period.”

If advocates and legislators continue to address specific issues, especially when it comes to mental health, the laws they pass (ideally all of the above) will be stronger for mental health.

” previous