This is an article about gun registration in Canada published in the National Post by a medical doctor. Here is the article:
Gun registry has killed people by diverting billions'
National Post · Saturday, May 8, 2010
Re: Police Divided Over Gun Registry, May 7.
Charles Momy, president of the Canadian Police Association, states: "If the registry can prevent one person in this country from either committing suicide, from being injured or killed ... then isn't that worth it for all Canadians?"
I am an emergency physician. This argument demonstrates how out of touch this man is. I believe the gun registry has killed people by diverting billions of dollars to create and maintain itself, while real mental health issues go unfunded.
When I see patients with severe depression and suicidal ideation who are requesting help, I often have to tell them that I can refer them to a psychiatrist in six months -- that is a significant disgrace to our profession. I have the same experience with women's shelters that are badly underfunded.
My colleagues and I have no use for the position statement from the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. Not only is it based on a selective look at the literature supporting the registry, it incorrectly references a journal article that doesn't examine the registry at all. Moreover, the article it references states that there is a serious substitution effect where people will find other ways to kill themselves, if guns aren't available.
Gun registry money should be diverted to psychiatric spending on suicide prevention and programs for battered women immediately. Every day the money and attention is wasted on the registry is a day someone suffers. It amazes me that we are discussing registering firearms in the hands of Canada's most responsible people when we should be discussing the serious mental health issues that face this country.
Dr. Caillin Langmann, emergency medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.
PS: Another reason to oppose more gun laws!
Gun registry has killed people by diverting billions'
National Post · Saturday, May 8, 2010
Re: Police Divided Over Gun Registry, May 7.
Charles Momy, president of the Canadian Police Association, states: "If the registry can prevent one person in this country from either committing suicide, from being injured or killed ... then isn't that worth it for all Canadians?"
I am an emergency physician. This argument demonstrates how out of touch this man is. I believe the gun registry has killed people by diverting billions of dollars to create and maintain itself, while real mental health issues go unfunded.
When I see patients with severe depression and suicidal ideation who are requesting help, I often have to tell them that I can refer them to a psychiatrist in six months -- that is a significant disgrace to our profession. I have the same experience with women's shelters that are badly underfunded.
My colleagues and I have no use for the position statement from the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. Not only is it based on a selective look at the literature supporting the registry, it incorrectly references a journal article that doesn't examine the registry at all. Moreover, the article it references states that there is a serious substitution effect where people will find other ways to kill themselves, if guns aren't available.
Gun registry money should be diverted to psychiatric spending on suicide prevention and programs for battered women immediately. Every day the money and attention is wasted on the registry is a day someone suffers. It amazes me that we are discussing registering firearms in the hands of Canada's most responsible people when we should be discussing the serious mental health issues that face this country.
Dr. Caillin Langmann, emergency medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.
PS: Another reason to oppose more gun laws!
