It is necessary, first of all, to bear in mind the fact that in the United States of America owning weapons is a right guaranteed by the 2nd amendment of the Constitution, although the interpretation of this provision has for some time been the subject of extensive debate and discussion also and above all in consideration of the high number of criminal events committed with the use of weapons in recent years.
As expected, in recent days the issue of gun control has returned to the center of media and political attention not only in the United States but also in our country. However, some clarifications must be made before launching into hasty and excessively clear judgments. A high rate of possession of weapons does not translate into a greater number of murders committed with firearms: if on the one hand the United States of America has a higher rate of distribution of weapons than other countries, such as Honduras , on the other hand, they maintain a significantly lower rate of homicides committed with firearms than the Central American state.
However, it is clear that the American problem emerges in comparison with developed countries or countries belonging to the OECD area.
It is also necessary to argue that this discussion must not and cannot be reported on Italian territory with a method of comparison, although Italy is among the first countries for the production and export of weapons - thanks to Italian know-how, and to the recognized value of made in Italy in the world.
The Italian law on the carrying and possession of weapons is based on strict legislation based on rigor both in the process of obtaining the license and on the possession and use of these, as well as obviously in the type of weapons for which it is permitted. the sale. In this context, the gunsmith is a key figure who, thanks to his competence, represents the fulcrum and the first garrison in the area for adequate control in the possession of weapons.
Although on our part there is the utmost understanding of the alarm raised on the issue in general, as we are the first to fight the improper use of weapons, we would like to submit some of the data presented in the study conducted on the subject by the University La Sapienza di Roma * which show that in Italy only 5% of voluntary homicides are
committed with weapons legally held. This leads us to deduce that the control system of the psychophysical requirements necessary to obtain a title that allows the possession, transport and subsequent use for hunting and sporting purposes as a whole works. Among other things, it is one of the most restrictive regulatory systems in Europe, which provides for holders of gun permits to submit every five years a double certification - of a general practitioner and a forensic or military doctor - which guarantees that the person concerned is free from physical or mental vices that could jeopardize the correct use of weapons.
In support, we can report the data of the study that analyze the phenomenon of the so-called "excess of defense", which show that this does not have a significant statistical impact. Only 2,45% of the events relate to cases of excess self-defense.
Beyond this, we would like to specify that although there are completely isolated cases of improper use of weapons (not linked to the purchase in the armory), it is precisely among those who legally possess them that a greater "culture of safety" is widespread, which it also derives from the various educational activities that are promoted during the learning phase for the use and greater awareness of the care and attention that gun handling requires.