WPC 2 B RV^ Z #|v", f^2ACd2MMd2B27dddddddddd77c|LXymA7Ad2cjXmcAam75h7mmmlMMAn[YYWdddd2ddddddddddddddddm75cccccXccccL7L7L7L7mmmmmnnnnYcmmmYnxmcccXXXXmccccaaaaaammL7L7L7L7lX5h777i7mmmmmMMMmMmMmMmMAAAnnnnnnYWWWm7mMmMAYYmnddd/NvddAceeddJRdBRyB#]]d>>dd{ps2]nBkdd!dCCdddyyyyeBrnddBBUdw}wwhdwwwwwwwwwwwwCwwwCwwwwwwwwwwwwwwtpw[_W]scL8f[[`iykm]g_tWs88iggSh|tttttttttttttttttttWWWWWWWssssssssssssssssssss888888888888iiiiiiiggggggggggggLLk6vC2,Xv\> Ps7;XPFujitsu RX7100FUJIRX71.PRSXv\> Ps7;0C/pXP2l@ @ P  ` #|vDutch 801 Roman", f^2ACd2MMd2B27dddddddddd77c|LXymA7Ad2cjXmcAam75h7mmmlMMAn[YYWdddd2ddddddddddddddddm75cccccXccccL7L7L7L7mmmmmnnnnYcmmmYnxmcccXXXXmccccaaaaaammL7L7L7L7lX5h777i7mmmmmMMMmMmMmMmMAAAnnnnnnYWWWm7mMmMAYYmnddd/NvddAceeddJRdBRyB#]]d>>dd{ps2]nBkdd!dCCdddyyyyeBrnddBBUdw}wwhdwwwwwwwwwwwwCwwwCwwwwwwwwwwwwwwtpw[_W]scL8f[[`iykm]g_tWs88iggSh|tttttttttttttttttttWWWWWWWssssssssssssssssssss888888888888iiiiiiiggggggggggggLLk2 Z Fujitsu RX7100FUJIRX71.PRSXv\> Ps7;0C/pXPMI"mv^.<>\.FF\.=.2\\\\\\\\\\22Z}rFQvodx<2<\.ZaQdZ Ps7;XP 2l=.,I&l\> Ps7;&PPA%,yJA\> Ps7;JPkd"mv^$%U7gZ**7\$7777777777\\\6mUKNYMDYZ*0QGhUYBYU?nn3XXXXXX=n$mmmm[[```;Oh_H7\\nnSnh\\\\\\77\%%\\\\\\\\nn77n7BBBB7\U$?=\7\\7$$/7BMWE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\SnnBB\\\\\9\n\\\FFM\\\\\\\\7BBBFnB\BBBBBB\\B\\\\\\\\\B\\%BBB%BBBBBBBBBBBBBBU@K>B2I4M0N3Z?T6*Q8T2hU2I5Y:XJB;I<H3T9TGU4[GTK@0?:99K-9STDT@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@0000000????????????????????:::::::999999999999KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKUMZ*YTT*T; S #&l\> Ps7;I&P# 3'3'Standard3'3'LetterheadFUJIRX71.PRSXv\> M  `  M#D3 1, 4D؃ Letters to the Editor AAP News 141 Northwest Point Blvd. P.O. Box 927 Elk Grove Village, Ill. 600090927  SH Since 94% of "children's" firearmrelated deaths~ NCHS. Vital statistics of the United States, 1988, vol II, mortality, part A. Washington, D.C.: Public Health Service, 1991. are in an age group (1019) constituting  S just 12% of all pediatric patients}~ Woodwell D. Office visits to pediatric specialists, 1989. NCHS Advance Data No. 208, Jan. 17, 1992.} and the poor, black males disproportionately involved in firearmrelated death undoubtedly account for an even smaller percentage it follows that few pediatricians following the AAP's recommendations regarding firearms are treating potential problem patients or their families. While AAP's legislative policies are vague, the goal is the unconstitutional one of limiting  S0 the rights of adults to that which is suitable for children.6~ Butler v. Michigan, 352 U.S. 380 (1957).6 No data support AAP's call to ban  S "deadly air guns and assault weapons." For all age groups, two deaths per year involve air gunsp~ AAP Committee on Adolescence. "Firearms and adolescents." AAP News, January 1992; 2021.p fewer than are associated with most other Olympic sports. The only "assault weapons" datum is the  S claim that some media accounts mention some youthful homicides with semiautomatic handguns.~ AAP Committee on Injury and Poison Prevention. "Firearm injuries affecting the pediatric population." AAP News, January 1992; 2223. Similarly, there is no reliable breakdown on handgun vs. long gun for suicide; the AAP relies on a  Sh smallscale study in an unrepresentative urban area.~ Wintemute GJ, Teret SP, Kraus JF, Wright MW. "The choice of weapons in firearm suicides." AJPH 1988; 78:824826. The assertion of a recent 300% increase in gunrelated injuries to children is false. Were it true, with no comparable increase in deaths, it would mean guns are less deadly `   3'3'LetterheadFUJIRX71.PRSXv\> 3'3'StandarddFUJIRX71.PRSXv\> I   . AAP dismisses firearms safety education as ineffective, noting that most such classes focus  S on hunting and target shooting, where there are few accidents.4 That educated hunters constitute  Sx the majority of hunters but under onethird of the shooters in hunting accidents, Hunter Education Assn. Hunting accident report with graphics of 19861990 data. Seattle, Wash.: Outdoor Empire Publishing, 1991. and that hunting  SP fatalities have fallen by 75% in two decades,G National Safety Council. Accident facts, 1968 edition. G,E National Safety Council. Accident facts, 1991 edition.E suggest that firearm safety education works and should be expanded, not avoided. Part of the AAP case is based on increases in teenage firearms misuse. But gun ownership  S levels have remained stable for decades    3'3'StandarddFUJIRX71.PRSXv\> 3'3'StandardFUJIRX71.PRSXv\> I   and handgun ownership levels for at least 15 years. ? Wright JD, Rossi PH, Daly K. Under the gun: weapons, crime, and violence in America.  New York: Aldine, 1983.,r ? Kleck G. Point blank: guns and violence in America. New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 1991.r Something else must explain the change. Part    3'3'StandardFUJIRX71.PRSXv\> 3'3'StandardFUJIRX71.PRSXv\> I   of the change is the nature of teen homicide.  S` Contrary to the AAP assertion that teen homicide is "impulsive, unplanned, and instantly regretted,"4  S8    3'3'StandardFUJIRX71.PRSXv\> 3'3'StandarddFUJIRX71.PRSXv\> I   it is disproportionately a group and felonyrelated activity Cheatwood D, Block KJ. "Youth and homicide: an investigation of the age factor in criminal homicide." Justice Quarterly 1990; 7:265292. with a remarkable lack of remorse.} Pressley SA, Harriston K. "A crazed fascination with guns." Washington Post, Feb. 2, 1992; A1, A10.}  S!  The firearmsrelated death rate is stable except for the most legally restricted age group.1, NCHS. Vital statistics of the United States, 1983, vol II, mortality, part A. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Govt. Printing Office, 1987. The increases in teen homicide and suicide are problems which cannot be intelligently addressed by deceitful portrayals of the nature of teen homicide, or by blaming inanimate objects. For the AAP to ignore the suicide and homicide problems in favor of attacking handguns is to sidestep whateverH$%%%` `  professional responsibilities pediatricians may have to reduce teen suicide and homicide.  Paul H. Blackman, Ph.D.Ѓ {!Research Coordinator %202/8286334 m&REFERENCES