The Problem: Firearms accounted for 39,659 deaths and 71,417 injuries in 2017. CDC:Faststats Firearms are used in 84 percent of the homicides of individuals between the ages 10 and 24. CDC: Youth Violence Fact Sheet.
The Problem: Firearms accounted for 39,659 deaths in 2017. More than 80 percent of teen homicides and almost half of teen suicides involved a gun in 2005. CDC: Faststats Overall, more than half of all homicides involve a gun. US Department of Justice: Crime Statistics.
The Problem: Tobacco use is a source of chronic and fatal illnesses for users and persons with secondary exposure. Smoking is responsible for approximately one in five deaths in the United States, causing 480,000 deaths annually. Smoking increases risk for stroke by as much as four times, coronary heart disease by as much as four times, lung cancer by about 25 times, and diminishes overall health. Quitting smoking vastly reduces risk; within 2-5 years following cessation, risk of stroke drops to that of a non-smoker.
The Problem: The operation of motor vehicles while intoxicated is a major public health problem. In 2016, roughly 10,500 people died in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver, accounting for nearly one-third of all traffic related deaths. CDC: Impaired Driving Factsheet. Approximately 6,500 (62%) of these individuals had a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08 g/dL or higher. The remaining fatalities consisted of passengers (29%) and non-passengers (9%).
The Problem: Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for many negative health outcomes. Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for cancer and other chronic conditions such as cirrhosis, and alcohol-impaired driving is one of the largest contributors to motor vehicle crashes CDC: Alcohol Use Factsheet. Each year in the United States, roughly 10,500 people die in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.
The Problem: Head injury is the leading cause of injury and death in bicycling accidents. Survivors of crashes may face lifelong chronic complications associated with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Bicycle helmet use reduces the risk of injury by 80%, although they are underutilized by all age groups. CDC: Injury Prevention and Control.
The Problem: Youth violence is an enormous public health problem in the United States, with homicide standing as the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 24. CDC: Youth Violence Fast Facts. Juvenile court systems have often been criticized for inadequately deterring and poorly preventing recidivism among violent youthful offenders. Steiner B, Hemmens C, Bell V. Legislative W
