Citation

Vernick JS, Rutkow L, Webster DW, Teret SP. Am. J. Public Health 2011; 101(11): 2021-2026.

Affiliation

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2011.300200

PMID

21940936

Abstract

In 2 recent cases-with important implications for public health practitioners, courts, and researchers-the US Supreme Court changed the landscape for judging the constitutionality of firearm laws under the Constitution's Second Amendment. In District of Columbia v Heller (2008), the court determined for the first time that the Second Amendment grants individuals a personal right to possess handguns in their home. In McDonald v City of Chicago (2010), the court concluded that this right affects the powers of state and local governments. The court identified broad categories of gun laws-other than handgun bans-that remain presumptively valid but did not provide a standard to judge their constitutionality. We discuss ways that researchers can assist decision makers. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print September 22, 2011: e1-e6. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300200).

Language: en