The United Kingdom is not known for its freedoms regarding firearms, or sadly any freedoms these days, and a new law in the country is threatening to clamp down even more.
The United Kingdom’s gun laws are strict, to say the least, in order to get a gun you need to obtain a special license and while the UK does hand them out there are a hell of a lot of disqualifying factors in the process. This system allows many to be denied outright and it should also be noted that the carrying of firearms in the public space is totally out of the question. The gun permit system in the UK is about ownership, not your ability to carry. If you get the permit you will be able to own a firearm not carry it around for self-defense.
Despite these tough regulations, there are roughly 2,000,000 firearms that are privately owned in the UK. The vast majority of these firearms are shotguns, while the country restricts magazine capacity to no more than two rounds, owning a shotgun is still permitted.
A new regulation has been made in the country for obtaining these permits, an examination of your medical history and medical records. Starting November 1st anyone looking to get one of these firearm permits is going to have to be reviewed by certain registered doctors. These doctors will look at everything from current medical health, mental health, neurological conditions, and even what medications you are taking(and or abusing.)
These new regulations do go further than just the process of getting a permit. Medical records will display if the individual is an owner of a firearm and doctors will be required to inform the police as well as other authorities if a patient was diagnosed with certain medical conditions.
Dr. Mark Sandford-Wood, the deputy chair of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, said in a statement “As doctors, we support the government’s overall message – that gun ownership is a privilege and not a right – and that firearms must be in the hands of only those who are deemed safe and responsible.”
The news of these new regulations is just a dark reminder of how bad things are in the UK and how bad things can get in the US if the gun-grabbers get their way.
