TY - JOUR
T1 - The ethics of restrictive licensing for handguns
T2 - Comparing the United States and Canadian approaches to handgun regulation
AU - Vernick, Jon S.
AU - Hodge, James G.
AU - Webster, Daniel W.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - The United States and Canada regulate frearms, particularly handguns, quite differently. With only a few state and local exceptions, the U.S. approach emphasizes the ability of most individuals to purchase, possess, and carry handguns. By comparison, Canada has a form of restrictive licensing for handguns that places a premium on community safety. The authors first review the potential individual and community level harms and benefits associated with these differing fre-arm policies. Using this information, they explore the ethical dimensions of the U.S. and Canadian approaches through three major themes of autonomy, prevention of harms, and social justice. The authors conclude that the Canadian approach is consistent with respect for the autonomy of persons, fosters the prevention of harms, and more appropriately furthers social justice.
AB - The United States and Canada regulate frearms, particularly handguns, quite differently. With only a few state and local exceptions, the U.S. approach emphasizes the ability of most individuals to purchase, possess, and carry handguns. By comparison, Canada has a form of restrictive licensing for handguns that places a premium on community safety. The authors first review the potential individual and community level harms and benefits associated with these differing fre-arm policies. Using this information, they explore the ethical dimensions of the U.S. and Canadian approaches through three major themes of autonomy, prevention of harms, and social justice. The authors conclude that the Canadian approach is consistent with respect for the autonomy of persons, fosters the prevention of harms, and more appropriately furthers social justice.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1748-720X.2007.00189.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1748-720X.2007.00189.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 18076517
AN - SCOPUS:36849059160
SN - 1073-1105
VL - 35
SP - 668
EP - 678
JO - Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics
JF - Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics
IS - 4
ER -