In the advisory Dr. Vivek Murthy points to anti-smoking, other public health playbooks as models for reducing gun violence
CHICAGO – Today, the nation’s top doctor, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, declared gun violence a public health crisis in an advisory, proposing a range of measures for preventing and curbing widespread trauma caused by pervasive gun violence. Specifically, he recommended applying the successful playbook of work to stop cigarette use to the fight against gun violence. Project Unloaded’s culture change approach to addressing gun violence is modeled after the Truth Initiative’s successful work to move teens away from cigarette use.
In response to the advisory, Nina Vinik, founder and president of Project Unloaded, released the following statement:
“In framing our gun violence crisis as a public health issue, rather than a political one, Dr. Murthy is acknowledging the devastating toll of this crisis and prompting us all to consider how work beyond the beltway can help stop gun violence. Just as teens in the early 2000s made cigarettes go from cool to uncool in one generation, today’s teens can inspire a generational shift away from using guns – if only we empower them with the facts. That’s the work we’re leading at Project Unloaded, and it’s why we’re so excited to see the Surgeon General emphasize the need for a public health approach to gun violence in his advisory today.”
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