Editorial Board
Dementia and Firearms Make a Dangerous Combination
As America ages, the risks grow. States should take action before it’s too late.
In the wrong hands?
Photographer: Joe Raedle/Getty Images North AmericaAs the U.S. population skews ever older, the number of people stricken with dementia steadily rises. Alzheimer’s disease already afflicts nearly 6 million Americans, and the number is projected to multiply in coming decades.
This, in turn, stands to boost the number of injuries and deaths caused by firearms. As dementia sufferers lose mental faculties, some become prone to delusions, paranoia and physical aggression. Such symptoms are more dangerous when a patient has easy access to guns.