Firearms Legislation and Reductions in Firearm-Related Suicide Deaths in New Zealand

1. Firearms Legislation and Reductions in Firearm-Related Suicide Deaths in New Zealand A L BEAUTRAIS Ph.D. Canterbury Suicide Project Christchurch School of Medicine & Health Sciences 23 February 2006 International Firearms Safety Seminar

2. Background To examine the impact of introducing more restrictive firearms legislation (Amendment to the Arms Act, 1992) in New Zealand on suicides involving firearms.

3. Background Suicide prevention is an important issue in New Zealand, and internationally. One approach to reducing suicide focuses on restricting access to means of suicide, including firearms. In particular, the availability of guns may play a role in impulsive suicide attempts (made in anger or distress) among young males.

4. Background In New Zealand recent changes in legislation mean it is possible to examine these issues. Specifically, the Amendment to the Arms Act 1992 changed regulations involving access and storage of firearms from a more liberal to a more restrictive regime.

5. History of Legislative Change • Aramoana mass shooting of 13 people by lone gunman with MSSA. Exacerbated growing concerns about access to such weapons, given overseas mass killings. 1992 Amendment to the Arms Act introduced.

6. Provisions of the Amendment A photo-ID’d firearms licence valid for 10 years, then requiring renewal. Licence requirements: • Pass (90%) knowledge test of Firearms Code. • Pass (100%) safety test re firearms. • Assessment by police as “fit and proper” person to hold licence (requires interviews and inspection of home).

7. Provisions of the Amendment More stringent security requirements: • Firearms to be locked in cabinets or strongrooms, and these to be locked when guns not in use. • Ammunition and guns to be stored separately. • Ammunition not to be sold to those without a firearms licence.

8. Provisions of the Amendment The legislation effectively (but not legally) introduces a “stand-down” period. • Requirements for referee interviews and home inspection effectively mean licences take 8-12 weeks to be granted.

9. Provisions of the Amendment Restrictive, “endorsed”, licences are required by firearms dealers, collectors, owners of MSSAs and handguns (3% of all licences). With the exception of these endorsed licences, handguns are illegal. Most firearms in New Zealand are long-barrelled rifles. Approximately 225,000 (5%) of New Zealanders hold firearms licences.

10. “Natural Experiment” The legislative changes in 1992 provide a natural experiment which makes it possible to examine the impact of more restrictive legislation on rates of suicide by firearms.

11. “Natural Experiment” This paper: • Compares rates of suicide by firearms before, during & after implementation of the Amendment to the Arms Act 1992. • Compares any changes in firearms-suicide rates by age. • Explore extent to which any changes in firearms-related suicides persisted after taking trends in suicide into account. • Explore extent to which any changes in firearms-related suicide were reflected in overall suicide rates.

12. “Natural Experiment” Study covers 18-year period from 1985 to 2002. Three periods: • 1985 to 1992 Period prior to legislation. • 1993 to 1996 Period of implementation. • 1997 to 2002 Period of post-implementation.

13. Time Trends in Rates of Firearm SuicidesTotal Population Aged 15+ Years Rate per 100,000

14. Time Trends in Rates of Firearm SuicidesYouth Aged 15-24 Years Rate per 100,000

15. Time Trends in Rates of Firearm SuicidesAdults 25+ Years Rate per 100,000

16. Time Trends in Rates of Firearm Suicides Summary For all three populations, firearm-suicide rates clearly declined following the introduction of the 1992 legislation.

17. Summary of Findings The introduction of the 1992 legislation had a significant impact on firearm related suicides in New Zealand. Prior to legislation, ≈ 80 firearm suicides p.a. After legislation , ≈ 52 firearm suicides p.a. This trend was most marked for youth (≈ 30 deaths p.a. reducing to ≈ 4 p.a.) but also evident for adults. Rates of firearm suicide reduced in the face of a general trend for overall rates of suicide to increase.

18. Possible Limitation • Despite reductions in firearm-related suicides, there was no impact on overall rates of suicide.? Substitution of other methods – the data don’t allow us to test for this. • Other time-related trends may have obscured the impact of the 1992 legislation. • Caution re generalising these findings to another country (e.g. US).

19. Conclusions Nevertheless, within these limitations, the findings of this study lead to the conclusion that the 1992 legislation, which restricted access to firearms, did have the effect of decreasing access to firearms, and of reducing firearm-related suicide deaths. These findings add to a growing body of international evidence which suggests that regulatory access to firearms may have positive effects in reducing the use of firearms in impulsive suicide attempts, particularly by young males.