Gun suicides drop

Stricter legislation on firearms licensing has led to a significant drop in suicides using guns, new research shows.

Since changes to New Zealand laws controlling gun licensing in 1992, the annual rate of firearm-related suicide had dropped 46 per cent.

The research, by the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, was funded by the Health Research Council.

Suicide researcher Associate Professor Annette Beautrais, who heads the Canterbury Suicide Project at the school, found that the fall was even greater in the 15-24 age group, at 66 per cent, while for adults 25 and over, the drop was 39 per cent.

"We looked at the statistics for eight years before the legislation and 10 years after, and the results are clear," Professor Beautrais said.

- NZPA