The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is proposing a comprehensive ban on all handguns within the city limits. "The proposal would bar residents from keeping handguns in their homes or businesses and prohibit the sale, manufacture and distribution of any firearms or ammunition in San Francisco."
If approved by a majority of the city's voters in November, the law would take effect in January 2006. Residents, who have bought nearly 22,000 handguns since 1996,would have 90 days to relinquish their weapons. The ban would make an exception for police officers, security guards, military personnel and others who require guns for their job.
The National Gun Lobby has promised an immediate challenge to the ban if it passes next November. While the debate over the whether or not San Francisco can constitutionally ban handguns is an interesting topic, perhaps more interesting are the murder statistics of another area that has implemented a similar ban. Washington banned handguns in 1976. They saw an immediate drop in the number of murders. However, recently the murder rate has skyrocketed.
Last year, the district had 248 homicides, or 20.7 per month -- a rate of 44 homicides per 100,000 residents. By comparison, San Francisco, has a rate of 9.2.
It makes you wonder whether Washington's criminals turned over their handguns.
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