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Melissa Burch is a pediatrician in Bangor. She wrote this column on behalf of the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ foremost commitment is to the health and well-being of Maine’s children. Every decision we make, every stance we take, is rooted in the imperative to safeguard their futures.
Despite years of advocating for common-sense gun safety reform, progress has been slow. There has been a prevailing belief that Maine’s culture of responsible gun ownership and rich hunting traditions rendered us immune to the types of gun violence plaguing other parts of the country.
Oct. 25 shattered that innocence. Since then, hearts and minds across Maine have been opened to the inescapable truth that pediatricians have known for decades: We must do better to protect our children. We urge Maine legislators to pass all components of the Safer Maine bill package, and to enact the Crisis Intervention Order Act recently introduced by House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross. The time for action is now; our children’s safety depends on it.
The statistics are staggering and alarming. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firearm-related injuries are the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1-19 in the U.S. Each year in Maine, we witness tragedies that could have been prevented with proactive measures.
A crisis intervention order would empower families and law enforcement to intervene when an individual poses a significant risk of harming themselves or others with a firearm. By allowing concerned family members or law enforcement to petition the court to temporarily remove firearms from individuals in crisis, this law could save lives.
Critics argue that these laws infringe upon Second Amendment rights, but that right has historically been balanced with public safety through reasonable regulations. None of these proposals seek to abolish gun ownership; rather, they aim to prevent tragedies before they occur. They provide a crucial tool to address imminent threats while respecting due process rights. This balanced approach prioritizes safety without unduly burdening responsible gun owners.
Similar laws, often referred to as extreme risk protection orders have proven effective in other states. Although more research is needed given that most of these laws were enacted after 2016, early research indicates that such protection orders may decrease firearm suicide rates. In states like Connecticut and Indiana, where extreme risk protection order laws have been in place for years, many lives have been saved. Maine should follow suit and help protect its people from preventable harm.
As pediatricians, we witness firsthand the toll of gun violence on our patients and their families. We see the trauma, both physical and psychological, resulting from firearm injuries. We hear the heart-wrenching stories of lives lost too soon and futures shattered. Our colleagues in Lewiston and the surrounding communities will be dealing with the fallout from this single tragedy for years to come, as they work to help heal a community traumatized by the unimaginable. It is our duty to advocate for policies that mitigate future violent events and promote a safer environment for our children to grow and thrive.
We understand that enacting this legislation may face challenges, but we cannot let politics overshadow public health and safety. It is imperative that Maine legislators set aside partisan differences and take decisive action to pass this package of evidence-based legislation, including background checks on advertised firearm sales, a 72-hour waiting period on gun purchases, a prohibition on bump stocks and similar devices, and the Crisis Intervention Order Act.
The Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics calls on parents and grandparents, caregivers, teachers, health care professionals and everyone who cares about Maine’s kids to contact their elected officials today to urge them to vote in favor of this important legislation. Our children deserve to grow up in a state where their safety is paramount, where proactive measures are in place to prevent tragedies before they occur. By implementing these reasonable policies, we can save lives, protect families and create a safer future for all Mainers.