NYC could soon require graphic cautionary images in gun shops
Graphic images warning of the dangers of keeping a firearm at home could soon appear in gun shops across New York City, similar to the cautionary imagery printed on cigarette packages in other countries.
The New York City Council is poised to pass the legislation on Wednesday.
A recent Gothamist
State law already requires a written warning to be issued with any permit or license for a firearm, stating that having a gun in the home increases the risk of suicide and accidental death. But under the
“I can’t think of a deadlier consumer product that has no warning for consumers at the point of purchase," said City Councilmember Erik Bottcher, who introduced the legislation. "Guns kill tens of thousands of people every year and a gun in the home is so much more likely to kill someone in that home rather than to be used as self-defense."
The city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene would be responsible for designing the images, posting them online and fining anyone who doesn’t display them properly: $5,000 for a first offense and $10,000 for a second within 12 months.
Bottcher said he’s confident the approach will be effective.
“If you’re getting a message about public health, if it has an image attached to it, it’s more effective. It makes more of an impact,” he said.
At least 31 Council members have signed on as co-sponsors, guaranteeing the bill's passage.
New York already has some of the strongest gun laws in the country and has led on several firearm safety initiatives, according to rankings from Everytown for Gun Safety, a national gun control advocacy group.
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Mayor Eric Adams’ office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
