U.S. Child and Teen Firearm Mortality is Off the Chart. Literally.

Following up on my Father's Day post about firearms.  The Kaiser Family Foundation has released a new issue brief: "Child and Teen Firearm Mortality in the U.S. and Peer Countries". One graphic tells the story:

It's the #1 cause of death (by a pretty wide margin) for minors (ages 1-17), ahead of motor vehicles, cancer, and all other causes.

It's a short paper with an important message. The concluding paragraph raises an issue that doesn't get a lot of coverage in the popular press:

Exposure and use of firearms also have implications for mental health. Research suggests that youth may experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety in response to gun violence. Specifically, survivors of firearm-related injuries, including youth survivors, may be at increased risk of mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Furthermore, gun violence disproportionately affects many children of color, particularly Black children, and children living in areas with a high concentration of poverty.

This is a public health issue and ought to be understood as a public health law issue as well. When will legislatures wake up?