Guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens in Louisiana according to gun violence research group Everytown Research and Policy. Fatal and non-fatal shootings cause not only physical pain, but also emotional and financial turmoil for victims and those close to them. Louisiana has the resources and the ability to curb the increase in gun violence, and it’s time our legislators take action.
In 2019, there were 1,013 deaths involving guns in Louisiana. Over 100 of these victims were between the ages of 0 and 19. Each victim had family, friends and coworkers who were left to grapple with incredible grief and psychological turmoil. These effects can be profound, especially for young people. Children who have been exposed to or victimized by gun violence are more likely to have low grades, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
As of 2019, Louisiana had the sixth highest gun death rate and the ninth highest rate of diagnosed depression in the nation. As mental health and gun deaths become intertwining crises, the Legislature still fails to act. 
The FBI and the CDC have studied the effectiveness of different gun laws and concluded that universal background checks, permit requirements and other laws regulating who possesses firearms are the most effective tools in preventing gun violence and death.
While Louisiana requires a concealed handgun permit in order to carry a concealed firearm, no state permit or background check is required to possess a rifle, shotgun or handgun. People are also allowed to openly carry a firearm in public without a permit. When purchasing guns in Louisiana, you face no restrictions on how many guns you buy, the ammunition you use, the sale of assault weapons or the childproofing of weapons.
Our state laws explicitly work against decreasing gun violence.
States like Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Jersey are considered to have the strictest gun laws, and, not coincidentally, these states are also considered some of the safest states in the country. If we have statistical data backing up the effectiveness of gun regulation at lowering violence, there is no logical reason for our lawmakers to remain lenient.
To protect teens from the growing rates of gun violence, the Legislature must act, even if that action comes in small steps. For instance, requiring a permit to purchase and carry a firearm would keep dangerous individuals from possessing guns. If anyone can walk into a store, purchase a gun and openly carry it, Louisiana is opening the door to shootings in alleyways, grocery stores and parks.
Rather than act against gun violence, the Legislature has been writing laws to make it even easier to carry a gun. In 2021, a bill was passed in the Legislature that would make it legal to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Thankfully, Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed the bill, but its passage through the Legislature showcased lawmakers’ troubling priorities.
If our legislators want to protect Louisiana’s children and teenagers, they must write laws that actively protect us from gun violence.
Mia Coco is a 19-year-old political communication student from Alexandria.