Are those for gun control also for controlling items that carry similar rates of mortality?

Let's take alcohol for instance.

The average gun control advocate wishes to see "reasonable" gun control, because of the number of gun deaths per year. Depending on which statistics you look at, this can be around 10k murders, and 30k deaths overall, including suicides and accidents.

So, based on the idea that we all want to save lives and gun control is a method of doing this, would the same people that are for gun control also be for re-enacting prohibition?

Guns kill around 30k people total a year in the United States. According to the CDC, [cdc.gov] slightly less than 40k people are killed from either disease related to alcohol, or from alcohol itself. These statistics do not even include accidents and murders, which the gun statistics do.

Alcohol cannot even be used for practical purposes, such as defending oneself. It really has no purpose other than to intoxicate the user. Yet, we have tens of thousands of deaths a year from it. And the same people that are so quick to advocate gun control do not seem to speak a word about a greater problem that costs tens of thousands more lives than guns ever did.

DUI deaths alone cause roughly the same number of deaths per year (9,878 [madd.org]) as murders by firearms (8,583 [fbi.gov]). DUI deaths generally also involve innocent people and families, who were doing nothing but driving. It's estimated that at least 50% of gun murders are criminal-on-criminal or gang-related.

So, would those that are so fervently for gun control also be for an outright ban on alcohol? It would certainly save more lives than gun control would, and saving lives is the goal, right? If not, why not?

I suggest we ban any sort of concentration higher then 40% alcohol. Sorry isopropyl you're just collateral damage due to people drinking and driving; hospitals can find alternatives.

Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey : Guns kill around 30k people total a year in the United States. According to the CDC, [cdc.gov] slightly less than 40k people are killed from either disease related to alcohol, or from alcohol itself. These statistics do not even include accidents and murders, which the gun statistics do.

Drug related deaths outnumbers traffic fatalities [foxnews.com]and gun related deaths, so why don't we ban drugs....oh wait!

banning guns won't prevent criminals from obtaining them.
banning drugs hasn't prevented criminals from obtaining and using them.

Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey : So, would those that are so fervently against gun control also be for an outright ban on alcohol? It would certainly save more lives than gun control would, and saving lives is the goal, right? If not, why not?

The anti-gun crowd is generally the same folks who support banning salt shakers and >16oz drinks. The short answer is yes the government should protect us from ourselves and they are willing to give up substantial freedoms as part of the bargain.

Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey : So, would those that are so fervently against gun control also be for an outright ban on alcohol?

I highly doubt it. People who are against gun control tend to be libertarian and that would include freedom to indulge in other addicting activities, too.

Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey : Guns kill around 30k people total a year in the United States. According to the CDC, [cdc.gov] slightly less than 40k people are killed from either disease related to alcohol, or from alcohol itself. These statistics do not even include accidents and murders, which the gun statistics do.

Just so I'm clear, are you comparing the number of people killing themselves thru alcohol abuse with the number of people killed by someone else with a gun?

Maybe we should ban cars. Oh wait, it's predicted that there will soon be fewer car fatalities than gun related fatalities. And then there is that whole "need" thing again...

http://www.businessweek.com/news/...es-by-2015

Guns and cars have long been among the leading causes of non-medical deaths in the U.S. By 2015, firearm fatalities will probably exceed traffic fatalities for the first time, based on data compiled by Bloomberg.

Now, I'm not saying we should ban guns but IMO something regarding them needs to be done. And seriously, how many f'ing gun threads do we need?

Quote from 124nic8 : I highly doubt it. People who are against gun control tend to be libertarian and that would include freedom to indulge in other addicting activities, too.

So, minus your silly pedantics, do you have an actual answer? Or are you just going to obfuscate some more?

Quote from vivahate : Just so I'm clear, are you comparing the number of people killing themselves thru alcohol abuse with the number of people killed by someone else with a gun?

No, the numbers of gun-related homicides and DUI-related deaths are very comparable. Suicides are what make up the vast majority of other gun-related deaths.

Quote from vivahate : Just so I'm clear, are you comparing the number of people killing themselves thru alcohol abuse with the number of people killed by someone else with a gun?

No because the gun statistics include those that kill themselves as well and the alcohol statistics don't include those that drink, drive and kill others.

Quote from LivninSC : Maybe we should ban cars. Oh wait, it's predicted that there will soon be fewer car fatalities than gun related fatalities. And then there is that whole "need" thing again... http://www.businessweek.com/news/...es-by-2015 Guns and cars have long been among the leading causes of non-medical deaths in the U.S. By 2015, firearm fatalities will probably exceed traffic fatalities for the first time, based on data compiled by Bloomberg. Now, I'm not saying we should ban guns but IMO something regarding them needs to be done. And seriously, how many f'ing gun threads do we need?

Cause there's an unbiased source.

Can you explain why gun-related murders are decreasing then, despite record numbers of gun sales?

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/...ta-table-8

Sure.

Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey : Cause there's an unbiased source. Can you explain why gun-related murders are decreasing then, despite record numbers of gun sales? http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/...ta-table-8

Are we discussing murders only? Sorry, I thought we were talking gun deaths. I mean after all isn't that what you stated here.

Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey : Guns kill around 30k people total a year in the United States

Per the article:

While recent gun sales haven’t led to an increase in crime, research indicates that over time, higher levels of gun ownership are associated with increased rates of homicide and suicide, Webster said.

Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey : No, the numbers of gun-related homicides and DUI-related deaths are very comparable. Suicides are what make up the vast majority of other gun-related deaths.

thanks - it didn't make sense otherwise :-)