Carry a gun? Pass a drug test.

[Teatownclown]

What a way to go....let's make the health care industry and gun dealers cross reference pharmaceutical prescriptions with a license to kill before selling them weapons and ammunition. Those people on anti depressants and on psycho active drugs as well as narcotics would not be able to purchase weaponry. That would have stopped almost all these mass killings.  ;

man has invented his doom....

[Townsend]

It's illegal to carry while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The only problem with drug testing to carry is how often do you test?

(not speaking to you specifically T just adding in)

Ironic that people can't be troubled with the notion of having to get an annual prescription for pseudoephedrine which would help curb the meth problem because it would be a hardship.  Yet, in order to carry a weapon to protect yourself against an attack by someone on meth or some other substance, getting regular drug tests wouldn't be considered a hardship?  Why not regular drug tests for anyone with a driver's license?  That's probably a greater nuisance to the general public considering 25 to 30,000 people are killed and upwards of 700,000 injured due to impaired driving every year.  Guns account for about 11,000 homicides a year, less than 1/2 the number killed as a result of impaired driving.

In other words, cars are a bigger threat than guns to your safety and well being in the possession of someone under the influence.

Gaspar makes a good point that only law abiding gun owners would submit to the tests which would likely turn up very few violators.  Those who are found in violation should be stripped of that privilege.

My question stemmed from Tulsa_fan's statement getting an "Actually, yes" reply.  As if Gaspar disagreed with him but he didn't...

[tulsa_fan]

My question stemmed from Tulsa_fan's statement getting an "Actually, yes" reply.  As if Gaspar disagreed with him but he didn't...

Hers  , I was stating a fact and guess he believed it to be a question?  Didn't understand the response. 

[Townsend]

Hers 

My apologies.

[patric]

It is a crime to carry a weapon while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Unless the union says it's OK:

"our policy is that no guns are allowed into either building except for on duty law enforcement personnel.
"We have had incidents in the past when off duty law enforcement attended one of our events and did partake of the adult beverages."
-- letter from BOK Center Security Director Dan Brown

[Conan71]

Unless the union says it's OK:

"our policy is that no guns are allowed into either building except for on duty law enforcement personnel.
"We have had incidents in the past when off duty law enforcement attended one of our events and did partake of the adult beverages."
-- letter from BOK Center Security Director Dan Brown

There was also the incident at 18th and Boston a few years back when a TPD got completely shitfaced while armed.  The smile really hit the fan when he drew his weapon.

[AquaMan]

I am still amazed at how liberals are attempting to focus on everything except causation, when it comes to gun controls.

I shouldn't be, but I am still amazed at how anyone who disagrees with you on anything is a Liberal. My relatives are mostly Liberal. They mostly own guns for one reason or another. Try using Panascope when you're looking around the world.

[RecycleMichael]

I hear many gun proponents say that the Newtown School shootings were caused by a mentally ill person and that we should talk about mental illness and not about guns.

If we restrict the mentally ill from owning guns, why not the drug addict?

[Conan71]

I hear many gun proponents say that the Newtown School shootings were caused by a mentally ill person and that we should talk about mental illness and not about guns.

If we restrict the mentally ill from owning guns, why not the drug addict?

Addiction is considered a mental illness, far as I know.  I can't imagine that would not be covered by any new restrictions.

[AquaMan]

Drugs don't cause or create a mental illness . . . . the may termorary alter your mental state, but that is NOT a mental illness, and I'm sure people who have battled with real mental illnesses would be happy to argue that fact with you.  Regardless, I don't think a drug test should be a requirement of carrying a gun.

So if I choose to smoke some weed at home, but when I'm out (and sober) with my family, I shouldn't have the right to carry my gun anymore?  I think a drunk with a gun is just as dangerous, so you shouldn't be allowed to consume alcohol ever if you want to carry a weapon.

It is a crime to carry a weapon while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Why thank you Doctor. That certainly clears that up and makes it oh so convenient to discount any other arguments concerning drug testing. When that mentally deranged meth head attacks the next person we'll know at least he wasn't mentally ill from his long term use and it certainly doesn't preclude him from owning and using a weapon AS LONG AS HE'S NOT HIGH WHILE USING IT.

I suspect there are doctors who would disagree. Mentally ill people often self medicate or are easily persuaded to do so.

I'll say again, I think drug testing of gun buyers/owners might make sense but simply is not feasible for lots of reasons. I just thought it was interesting to find out that there is actually no situation in which these gun fanatics think a regulation is necessary. Its like God has given us manna and we must not question the gift.

[Gaspar]

I hear many gun proponents say that the Newtown School shootings were caused by a mentally ill person and that we should talk about mental illness and not about guns.

Do you disagree?

[Townsend]

If someone killed a number of people with a sledge hammer, I have my doubts there would be a need for hammer control.

Does the average citizen need a sledge hammer?

[JCnOwasso]

I hear many gun proponents say that the Newtown School shootings were caused by a mentally ill person and that we should talk about mental illness and not about guns.

If we restrict the mentally ill from owning guns, why not the drug addict?

But what level of mental illness?  OCD is mental illness... Gambling addiction?  Narcolepsy?  Dyslexia?  You cannot broadbrush.

As for control itself, I have seen a lot of references to the statement that guns don't kill people, people kill people.  To a certain degree, this is correct.  But please remember this... a guns intended use is to cause injury, specifically death, in another living being.  Whether that being be on four legs or two.  Assult weapons have been created specifically to kill other people.  So by nature, a gun operated as intended will kill the person or thing it is aimed at.  A sledgehammer's intended use is the demolition of a structure, a cars intended use is transportation from one location to another.  The problem with these is when it is not being used as intended.  The same cannot be said about a gun.  I am for responsible gun ownership but I also understand that laws only keep honest people honest.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Nothing has been "resolved".

I don't care if you own a thousand guns. If you carry a gun on you while shopping, at the movies, etc., I would hope you wouldn't be on the influence of drugs. I think it is reasonable to ask for drug tests for people who want to carry guns around on their hip.

I am not a proponent of drug testing in general, but it seems to be a condition of employment at many places. If my kid has to pass a drug test to play trumpet in the band, why not have people carrying guns into shopping areas pass a drug test?

The discussion about guns being the "problem" has been resolved - and they are not.

As for drug testing...well that is one of those things that appeals to people but has no real practical value - it is solely one data point in time.  All one has to do is wait a few days to get it out of their system, then start back up later.  Has no real meaning - just another "feel good" exercise in bureaucracy.  As for possessing, buying, or using a gun while impaired - or being an illegal user of any drug - that has also been resolved for way more than the 40 years back to the GCA of 1968.

So, how is it gonna help anything?  Someone gets the drug test and it comes up clean.  By the time they go from the drug test facility TO the store, they could be already back under the influence...again.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I hear many gun proponents say that the Newtown School shootings were caused by a mentally ill person and that we should talk about mental illness and not about guns.

If we restrict the mentally ill from owning guns, why not the drug addict?

We do.  It has been illegal for 70+ years.  I have said this before.  Others have said it.  You can see the most visible manifestation of this on form 4473, which has been in place since 1968.  What part of this is not making it to the innermost being??