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I was looking at correlation statistics that show that states with the highest rates of gun ownership also have the highest rates of suicide by firearms.

According to a 2015 study by the Harvard Center for Public Health, Idaho is ranked in the top 10 in both categories. It clearly shows that it’s the easy access to firearms that drives the increase in suicide attempts and due to the lethal nature of guns, the death rate is almost 100 percent. The good news is the study also found that households with fewer guns have fewer suicides.

The Washington Post has documented a huge increase in white males and females, age 45-54 with less than a college education, dying from suicide, drugs (legal and illegal) and alcohol.

The state of Idaho fits these demographics almost exactly. The map shows virtually all red states follow this pattern. In the next four years these stats will go up exponentially. This would be sad if we had no control over these actions, but this tragic pattern of death and destruction is almost all self-inflicted.

DAN MIMMACK

Sandpoint