Preventing firearm injury-- a cause of death that should not exist

Firearm-related injury is a leading cause of death disproportionately affecting
adolescents and young adults across the world, especially in the Americas. Little
progress has been made over the last four decades, as inaction or the adoption of ineffective or unevidenced interventions have become commonplace. The COVID-19 pandemic reconfigured health systems towards prevention and harm reduction, sharpened public attention on the burden of preventable deaths, and inspired a fresh ambition on eliminating avertable deaths. In this Viewpoint, we argue that preventing firearm injury represents one of the lowest hanging fruits in post-pandemic public health, and present a case for reducing the global burden of firearm injury supported by evidence and international examples. Crucially, we aim to guide policymaking in directions that end the insufferable cycle of grief, anger, activism, deflection, and inaction and create more peaceful and fairer societies.