Vivek Murthy: We Have to Take the Similar Approach on Gun Violence as We Did with Smoking

BRZEZINSKI And historic announcement ░░░░░░░░ from the U S ░░░░░░░░ general declaring for the ░░░░░░░░ time in American history ░░░░░░░░ firearm violence is a ░░░░░░░░ health crisis The announcement ░░░░░░░░ accompanied by a 40 ░░░░░░░░ report detailing the severity ░░░░░░░░ the issue and the ░░░░░░░░ that could be enacted ░░░░░░░░ save lives Those recommendations ░░░░░░░░ banning automatic rifles implementing ░░░░░░░░ background checks restricting gun ░░░░░░░░ in public spaces and ░░░░░░░░ those who fail to ░░░░░░░░ store their firearms And ░░░░░░░░ S Surgeon General Dr ░░░░░░░░ Murthy joins us now ░░░░░░░░ you very much for ░░░░░░░░ on this morning for ░░░░░░░░ announcement So we would ░░░░░░░░ there is an epidemic ░░░░░░░░ s a mass shooting ░░░░░░░░ times a week in ░░░░░░░░ How does putting the ░░░░░░░░ label of public health ░░░░░░░░ on this issue bring ░░░░░░░░ closer to these goals ░░░░░░░░ MURTHY Well Mika for ░░░░░░░░ long time this issue ░░░░░░░░ been politicized and polarized ░░░░░░░░ I think it s ░░░░░░░░ for us to change ░░░░░░░░ we look at it ░░░░░░░░ of looking at it ░░░░░░░░ a political issue to ░░░░░░░░ it for what it ░░░░░░░░ which is a public ░░░░░░░░ issue And the power ░░░░░░░░ doing that is several ░░░░░░░░ First when our office ░░░░░░░░ has identified an issue ░░░░░░░░ a public health issue ░░░░░░░░ has typically made it ░░░░░░░░ more urgent priority for ░░░░░░░░ country but it s ░░░░░░░░ opened up the door ░░░░░░░░ us to take a ░░░░░░░░ health approach to that ░░░░░░░░ This is what we ░░░░░░░░ with smoking more than ░░░░░░░░ a century ago When ░░░░░░░░ predecessor Luther Terry identified ░░░░░░░░ as a important public ░░░░░░░░ issue and a threat ░░░░░░░░ the health of America ░░░░░░░░ helped mobilize a series ░░░░░░░░ initiatives in communities in ░░░░░░░░ among parents among lawmakers ░░░░░░░░ ultimately brought smoking rates ░░░░░░░░ from 42 percent in ░░░░░░░░ to less than 12 ░░░░░░░░ where they are today ░░░░░░░░ that s the approach ░░░░░░░░ have to take here ░░░░░░░░ what s really important ░░░░░░░░ for people to understand ░░░░░░░░ is that gun violence ░░░░░░░░ not an issue that ░░░░░░░░ affects a small number ░░░░░░░░ people The ripple effects ░░░░░░░░ gun violence have impacted ░░░░░░░░ of people across America ░░░░░░░░ are nearly 50 000 ░░░░░░░░ we lose each year ░░░░░░░░ gun violence There are ░░░░░░░░ more have been in ░░░░░░░░ of people who are ░░░░░░░░ and injured and who ░░░░░░░░ survived People who witnessed ░░░░░░░░ incidents family members who ░░░░░░░░ loved ones and many ░░░░░░░░ who watch and hear ░░░░░░░░ gun violence every day ░░░░░░░░ our kids That has ░░░░░░░░ to 6 out of ░░░░░░░░ Americans now who fearing ░░░░░░░░ they ll lose a ░░░░░░░░ one to violence and ░░░░░░░░ than half of our ░░░░░░░░ worrying about shootings in ░░░░░░░░ schools.”
BRZEZINSKI: “Yeah.”