A recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine concluded that New Jersey has the lowest rate of youth suicide in the United States, together with the second-lowest rate of household gun ownership.

The study sought to correlate the rates of youth suicide with the prevalence of guns in the home. It concluded that in the 10 states with the highest teenage suicide rates, household gun ownership averaged more than 50 percent, while in the 10 states with the lowest rate of youth suicide the average home gun ownership was twenty percent. The study noted that the “predominant [59%] cause of firearm-related death in the U.S. is suicide” and found that “the prevalence of gun ownership is associated with youth suicide.” Further, the researchers found that “82% of firearm-related suicides among youth . . . involved a firearm owned by a household member.” These are extremely important findings.