Florida continues to lead the country in concealed carry permits with over 2.38 million Floridians currently retaining one, which includes over 100,000 new permits which have been obtained over the past year. As Florida’s legal gun ownership rises, we’ve witnessed crimes drop in Florida. Also interesting is where Florida ranks in overall gun control laws. While Florida leads the country in concealed carry permits, we’re far from the easiest state with which to obtain a firearm. In the wake of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas, the passage of the Stoneman Douglas Safety Act contained comprehensive gun control reform. Among the changes, the implementation of a risk protection order and the raising of the legal age to purchase firearms to 21.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker upheld the law and specifically the age of 21 for one to purchase a firearm. Florida’s gun control policy will remain as currently constructed which means it will continue to be harder to purchase and retain a firearm in Florida compared to most of the country. Florida currently has the 20th most restrictive gun control policy in the country. Alaska is currently the most lenient with New York being the most restrictive. This illustrates another point. New York’s rise in violence and crime, including the recent shooting of a man in broad daylight in Manhattan, comes with the most restrictive laws in the country, while Florida continues to experience a decline in crime with record gun ownership.
The combination of these facts suggests a few points. Florida’s current laws strike a responsible balance while once again we can see having more lawful gun owners leads to better outcomes. This once again illustrates that guns aren’t the problem, people are the problem and in fact, more guns in the hands of the right people can help deter crime. It’s like most things in life. It’s best when there’s balance.