Firearms

[NoraBrimstone]

However, by that reasoning, we should just outright ban all guns, because some 12,600 people were murdered by guns. Add to that the 60,000+ suicides (from the beginning of this discussion), and that brings the total close to 80,000 people, dead in the US from gun violence. Is that a big enough number for you?

We're in a recession as of speaking, so suicides are going to be more common.
I'd instead suggest suicide-preventive infrastructure, mandatory training for employers to recognize symptoms of depression; the prohibition of arms from the mentally ill, felons, and men of subaverage intelligence; and laws requiring arms to be stored in locked cases.

Surely the number of suicide by guns is enough to want to restrict who can own one? Someone who suffers from depression, bipolar disorder or any form of psychosis should not have easy access to guns. Active suicidality (I.e. When a person goes from contemplating suicide to actually deciding to do it right away) generally only lasts around 30 minutes. So the longer it takes them to access a suicide method the better. Just look at the dramatic decrease in suicides we had in the UK after they changed the gas used in homes to a less toxic gas to see what I mean.

Of course, better (aka free) access to healthcare to treat people with a mental illness is also desperately needed in the US. Both actions are needed to protect people.