Prevent health risks posed by guns

We regulate other threats to public health but allow the threat from gunshot trauma to remain in our community. We regulate water quality, we require childhood immunizations, we concern ourselves with food safety and more. All of these actions are important safeguards to our health as a community.

But we do little to protect Iowa residents from gunshot trauma, even when gunshot health risks are 100 percent preventable. Recent Iowa legislation reduces law enforcement discretion is issuing gun permits. Current conversation in Des Moines suggests that gun restrictions in Iowa will be further reduced.

There is nothing in the Second Amendment to our U.S. Constitution that requires each of us to be exposed to the known, preventable, serious health risk of gunshot.

The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports the right of residents to live in an environment in which known health hazards are recognized and eliminated or, at least, minimized. We look to our legislators to do all they can to eliminate the preventable, serious health risks that guns bring to our community. It is time to take action.

Myrna Loehrlein

President,

League of Women Voters of Iowa

Cedar Rapids