The lower in deaths associated to smoking and tobacco use is without doubt one of the nice public well being achievements in California historical past. With smoking charges declining greater than 50% for the reason that Eighties, our insurance policies have been credited with saving 1 million lives and $134 billion in well being care prices. A key pillar to this success is an excise tax on the tobacco business, with revenues used to fund quite a lot of smoking prevention and cessation applications.
The thought is easy however highly effective: When an business creates a product that harms society, redirect among the income from the sale of that dangerous product to applications that can assist alleviate the affect.
As smoking deaths decline, gun deaths are on the rise in California, and it’s time to borrow from the success of the anti-smoking motion. A invoice handed by a supermajority of the California Legislature, AB 28, would do precisely that — place a modest, 11% excise tax on the firearm business, not shoppers, that might generate $160 million yearly to fund the growth of efficient gun violence prevention applications. Now it’s on its method to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
Consider it or not, that is an concept that the gun business itself has applauded in terms of defending wildlife and supporting searching pursuits. For the reason that early 1900s, the federal authorities has positioned an 11% tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition with a purpose to fund wildlife conservation efforts and hunter growth. A press release from the Nationwide Capturing Sports activities Basis, an business group, referred to as the legislators behind the federal tax “heroes of essentially the most profitable conservation mannequin on this planet.”
If even the gun business can get behind a modest tax on weapons and ammo to guard wildlife, then there isn’t any legitimate argument in opposition to doing the identical factor to guard human life.
I’m a trauma surgeon. I see firsthand what gun violence does to the physique. Over and over, I witness the destruction of weapons tearing the our bodies of individuals aside and tearing the material of our communities aside. I additionally see the advantages of applications like those that might be funded by AB 28. These applications are efficient and work along with hospitals to supply hospital-based, trauma-informed care. Gun violence prevention efforts are working within the state, and it’s important that we enhance funding.
We stand on the point of a historic second within the battle in opposition to gun violence, the place California has been a nationwide chief for the final 20 years. As some of the outstanding voices for gun security on this nation, Gov. Newsom must put folks over company income. We are able to’t maintain dwelling in a nation the place gun violence is the No. 1 explanation for dying for our youngsters.
This can be a highly effective thought whose time has come. Gov. Newsom, please signal this historic invoice. These of us on the entrance strains are relying on you.
Dr. Timothy Browder is the top of trauma surgical procedure at Highland Hospital in Oakland.