Gun-related injuries and deaths have increased in California post the gun shows that took place in Nevada, according to a recent research. The new study showed that there is a 70 percent spike in firearm violence-related casualties across state lines in the Golden State.
Less-Restrictive States Like Nevada Threaten Impact Of California’s Firearm Laws
The study, conducted by UC Berkeley researchers, showed that gun shows held in California itself do not result in local, short-term spike in firearm injuries and deaths. However, it is Nevada gun shows that lead to an increase in firearm-related violence and casualties in California.
Nevada has some of the least restrictive firearm laws in the United States. Gun sellers in the state are not subject to the same kind of scrutiny that other dealers go through in other parts of the country. Moreover, there are zero regulations on gun shows in specific.
Even though California has some of the most stringent laws in the United States related to gun regulations and laws, the impact of these laws gets diluted because of the spillover effects of the less-restrictive laws of its neighboring state, according to a report.
"We found that there were acute increases in firearm deaths and injuries in California following gun shows in Nevada, but not gun shows in California itself," said Ellicott Matthay, study author. "We also found that this association for Nevada gun shows was driven mainly by increases in firearm deaths and injuries due to interpersonal violence, as opposed to self-harm or unintentional injuries," he added.
The Effects Of Various Gun Shows In Nevada And California
The study, which will be published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine on Oct. 24, is based on research related to 275 gun shows in held in Las Vegas and Reno regions of Nevada, and 640 gun shows in California between 2005 and 2013.
The researchers found that the post-show firearm injury rates remained stable in areas near California gun shows when compared with two weeks prior to the occurrence of these shows. However, there was a 70 percent increase in post-show firearm injury rates from 0.67 per 100,000 people to 1.14 per 100,000 people in areas near Nevada shows.
The increase implied that there were 30 more firearm-related injuries or casualties in California communities located close to the Nevada state line after 161 gun shows held in the latter.
The research team feels that although the findings are not definitive, the study shows that stricter gun show laws could effectively prevent short-term spikes in firearm injuries and deaths. Furthermore, lax regulations can adversely impact even strict gun laws in neighboring states.
