If one ever wanted to see madness personified - and the power and influence of the NRA coupled with blind stupidity of legislators and their constituents - it must be the act passed in Florida prohibiting medicos from talking about the keeping of firearms at home......
"Information saves lives. That’s not a complicated idea, especially when it comes to medical care. A doctor’s educated advice can make all the difference to a patient who may not fully appreciate health or safety risks.
Florida lawmakers seemed to think otherwise. In 2011, they passed a law barring doctors from talking to their patients about one specific topic: whether the patients keep firearms at home. Health care practitioners who violated the gag rule faced fines of up to $10,000 and the possible loss of their medical licenses.
As the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit held on Thursday in striking down the key parts of the law, this is an obvious violation of the First Amendment, which generally prohibits restrictions on speech based on what’s being said. It was also just plain dumb. Studies show that guns in the home lead to an increased risk of injury and death, and that people who speak to their doctors about gun-storage practices are three times as likely to store guns safely later.
That’s why major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, encourage doctors to discuss gun storage and safety with patients, particularly those living with children. It’s no different from talking about other common household hazards like swimming pools, chemicals, and drugs and alcohol."
"Information saves lives. That’s not a complicated idea, especially when it comes to medical care. A doctor’s educated advice can make all the difference to a patient who may not fully appreciate health or safety risks.
Florida lawmakers seemed to think otherwise. In 2011, they passed a law barring doctors from talking to their patients about one specific topic: whether the patients keep firearms at home. Health care practitioners who violated the gag rule faced fines of up to $10,000 and the possible loss of their medical licenses.
As the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit held on Thursday in striking down the key parts of the law, this is an obvious violation of the First Amendment, which generally prohibits restrictions on speech based on what’s being said. It was also just plain dumb. Studies show that guns in the home lead to an increased risk of injury and death, and that people who speak to their doctors about gun-storage practices are three times as likely to store guns safely later.
That’s why major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, encourage doctors to discuss gun storage and safety with patients, particularly those living with children. It’s no different from talking about other common household hazards like swimming pools, chemicals, and drugs and alcohol."
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