FILE-A sales associate takes a gun from a display of guns at a store. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
null - Gun control in the U.S. has been a widely debated topic for a long time, but now there seems to be a shift in Americans' views on the issue based on a new poll.
In a recent Gallup poll, a majority of people still want stricter gun laws and an assault weapons ban in the nation, while others are opposed to a ban on guns.
Approximately 56% of respondents support stricter gun laws covering the sale of guns, while 33% prefer gun laws to remain the way they are now and 10% want gun laws to be less strict.
RELATED: Gun violence remains leading cause of death for US youth, report finds
The poll noted that the 20% of Americans who would favor a law banning the possession of guns, except by the police and other authorized persons, is down seven percentage points from 2023.
Regarding the issue of a ban on assault weapons, 52% of respondents say there should be a ban on the manufacture, possession, and sale of assault rifles. But the amount of support for a ban is lower than what was measured in two past surveys, according to Gallup.
RELATED: Surgeon general declares gun violence in US a public health crisis
Meanwhile, political parties have opposing views on gun control in the U.S., with 89% of Democrats supporting stricter gun laws compared with 56% of Independents and 25% of Republicans.
Fifty-nine percent of Republicans support keeping gun sales laws the same as they are currently, while 15% prefer less strict laws. In addition to the majority of Independents who favor stricter gun laws, 31% want to see them stay the same and 12% support stricter laws.
Additionally, Democrats (82%) support a ban on assault weapons compared to Republicans (27%) and independents (50%).
Gallup used data from its Oct. 1-12 crime poll for its recent poll on gun laws and assault weapons bans.
US surgeon general declares gun violence a public health crisis
In June 2024, the U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by the fast-growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country.
To reduce gun deaths, Murthy is urging the U.S. to ban "assault weapons and large-capacity magazines for civilian use," introduce universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulate the industry, pass laws that would restrict their use in public spaces and penalize people who fail to safely store their weapons.
These changes cannot be enacted nationwide without legislation passed by Congress. Some state legislatures, however, have enforced or may consider some of the surgeon general’s proposals.