THE BAN DOWN UNDER: UNITED STATES SHOULD ADOPT AUSTRALIAN-STYLE GUN REGULATIONS TO CURB RISING RATE OF ELDERLY SUICIDES BY DANIEL BURLEY

THE ARTICLE

United States seniors commit suicide at an alarming rate. Their primary killing method: easily accessible firearms. This Note proposes that the federal government implement strict gun controls that address the growing epidemic of elderly suicides. These policies should emulate Australia’s, a world leader in progressive gun controls. In the United States, the Australian policies would face a constitutional minefield. But case law indicates regulations other than outright gun removal are likely constitutional. Voluntary regulations— gun buybacks, self-reporting gun bans, and purchasing bans for seniors with mental illnesses—will likely overcome constitutional challenges. Involuntary regulations, such as Australia’s mandatory gun buybacks, would face tougher Second Amendment tests. However, these restrictions would greatly decrease elderly suicides and inch America toward sensible gun policies accepted worldwide.

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