NYC could soon require graphic cautionary images in gun shops

New York City on Brink of Requiring Graphic Warning Labels on Firearms Sold at Gun Shops

The New York City Council is set to pass legislation requiring gun shops across the city to display graphic warning labels on firearms, mirroring the cautionary imagery found on cigarette packs in other countries. The proposed law, which has garnered support from at least 31 council members, would mandate that licensed firearm owners receive a visual warning about the increased risk of suicide and accidental death associated with keeping a gun at home.

According to City Councilmember Erik Bottcher, who introduced the bill, the current system of written warnings is insufficient. "I can't think of a deadlier consumer product that has no warning for consumers at the point of purchase," he said. The graphic images would be designed by the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and displayed prominently in gun shops, with violators facing fines of up to $10,000.

The move comes as the city grapples with ongoing debates over concealed carry laws, which were recently reinforced by a Supreme Court decision allowing licensed firearms in certain areas of New York. While the city has some of the strongest gun laws in the country, high-profile incidents continue to spark unease among residents and lawmakers are still seeking ways to mitigate gun violence.

The proposed law reflects a growing trend towards graphic warning labels on consumer products, with cigarette packs serving as a notable example. The goal is to make the risks associated with firearms more explicit, increasing public awareness and potentially reducing accidents. "If you're getting a message about public health, if it has an image attached to it, it's more effective," Bottcher said, highlighting the potential for graphic images to have a greater impact on consumer behavior.

Once implemented, the legislation will build upon New York City's existing firearm safety initiatives, solidifying its position as a national leader in gun control.

omg can u imagine walking into a gun shop and seeing a pic of someone with a gunshot wound or something like that right next to the guns?! it's kinda sad that we even need a law like this but i guess it's better than nothing . i feel bad for those who are struggling with mental health issues and might not be aware of the risks associated with owning a gun. maybe these graphic labels will help raise awareness and prevent more accidents from happening . but still, we gotta do something about the high rate of gun violence in our city . i just hope that this new law will lead to positive change and we'll see fewer incidents in the future . btw, have u heard about the new school safety initiative our principal is pushing? it's kinda cool

can you imagine walking into a gun shop and being slapped with a picture of some poor dude who shot himself in the head? wouldn't that just be super fun to go home and play with?! also i mean what's next, warning labels on video games too? like come on, people are adults, they can handle a little bit of responsibility

omg i just cant believe they're gonna make gun shops show these super graphic warning labels lol like what if some ppl freak out and dont even wanna buy guns anymore? but at the same time, idk how many people realize the risks of keeping a gun at home and having accidents or suicides happen it's crazy to think about. i feel for erik bottcher trying to make this change happen though, he's clearly coming from a place of wanting to protect ppl. personally, i'm all for making gun safety more explicit, maybe it'll even get some ppl thinking twice before buying that first handgun

This new law is necessary! We gotta think about the ppl who might accidentally themselves with guns in their homes . It's crazy that some ppl still don't get it . I mean, cigarette packs have warning labels and they work ! Why can't gun shops show a similar message? It'll save lives ! Plus, it's just common sense . The city is doing the right thing . We should all be supporting this law !

omg i cant believe they wanna put warning labels on guns in nyc like whats next gonna be warning labels on cars?? i feel kinda bad for people who already own guns and have to deal with the added stress of having to show proof that their not planning on using it as a way to harm themselves or others lol but at the same time i can see how it could help prevent some gun violence incidents from happening in the first place my aunt has friends who live in new york and theyve been talking about how crazy its getting with all the gun laws so idk what to think about this whole thing

lol just saw this thread from like 3 days ago i was stuck in traffic and didn't have signal btw so i'm only now getting to it. anyway, i think the idea of graphic warning labels on guns is kinda genius i mean, come on, we're all aware that guns are super deadly but do we really need to be reminded about it every time we walk into a gun shop? still, i can see how these kinds of warnings could make a difference in reducing accidents. my aunt has a friend who lost her cousin to a gunshot wound and she's been super vocal about the need for stricter gun laws... maybe this is a step in the right direction

I'm so concerned about this ! I've lost friends to gun violence and it's just devastating. I think this is a great idea - graphic warning labels would make a huge difference. I remember when my cousin was trying to take his own life... he had a gun in the house and knew exactly what could happen if he touched it . It's infuriating that we even have to consider this kind of thing. But you know what? If it can save just one person, it's all worth it . And yeah, I love how they're not just stopping at labels - they're also looking at other ways to make our city safer .

so what's up with this new law? i mean, isn't it already pretty obvious that guns are super deadly? like, if you have a gun at home, you're more likely to hurt yourself or others why do we need warning labels now?! won't the people selling guns just put up some generic pics and be done with it? wouldn't that kinda defeat the purpose?

I'm low-key surprised this isn't a thing everywhere . Did you know that NYC already has some of the strictest gun laws in the US? ️ Like, they require universal background checks and have strict regulations on magazine capacity. So when's the last time someone just walked into a gun shop in NYC without getting asked 50 questions first?

Anyway, this new law is a good idea IMHO. We already know that graphic warning labels work for cigarettes (who still smokes, btw?). It makes sense to apply it to guns too. And can you imagine how many gun deaths could be prevented if people actually read those warnings?

Here's a quick stat: in 2020, the US saw over 45k firearm-related deaths. That's a lot of lives lost . According to data from the CDC, for every single one of those deaths, at least 3 people were treated in ERs for non-fatal gunshot wounds .

Now I'm no economist, but I bet increasing public awareness about gun safety would save lives and money in the long run . Plus, we already know graphic warning labels can reduce smoking rates (by like, a ton). So it's worth a shot, right?

Here's some more data:

* In states with stricter gun laws, firearm deaths are 30% lower.
* Gun ownership in NYC is 4.5 million, but only 35% of those people own handguns.
* The US has the highest rate of firearm-related deaths among developed countries.

It's time to think outside the box (or gun case) and do something about this .

I gotta say, this new rule is gonna be super effective at reducing gun violence in NYC . Like, who needs to think twice about buying a gun if you see a graphic image of some poor soul's suicide attempt on the packaging? It's like they're forcing people to learn from someone else's mistakes, which can't be bad right? And I'm all for increasing public awareness about this stuff, but honestly, I think we should take it a step further and make those warning labels more graphic... like, super disturbing. That way, we'll really get the point across that owning a gun is no joke . The current law might just be too subtle and won't scare people enough to change their behavior.