Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts has expressed her support for the U.S. Surgeon General’s declaration of gun violence in the United States as a national public health crisis. In a 40-page advisory, the Surgeon General presented statistics on deaths caused by firearms and offered suggestions to lawmakers on how to reduce gun-related injuries and fatalities.
Roberts highlighted the alarming data on gun violence deaths in Columbus, where she serves as the Public Health Commissioner. She acknowledged that recognition of gun violence as a public health issue has been a priority in Columbus for years, but noted that it took longer than expected for the Surgeon General to make the same declaration. Despite this delay, Roberts believes that the report presents an opportunity to further enhance existing efforts in Columbus.
The report from the Surgeon General calls for measures such as banning assault weapons, stricter regulations on the gun industry, and enforcing universal background checks. Roberts expressed her desire to use these recommendations to expand their current work and identified potential for increased funding at both the federal and state levels.
However, there has been opposition to the report from groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) who criticized it as an extension of President Biden’s “war on law-abiding gun owners.” Despite this pushback, Roberts remains committed to addressing the critical issue of gun violence through a public health lens in Columbus.
