Yahoo News Two thirds of Americans want to raise the legal age to buy a gun
Nearly two thirds of Americans want to increase the minimum age for buying guns to 21.
According to a new Economist/YouGov poll, 65 per cent of respondents ‘support a law that would raise the minimum age for buying any type of gun or ammunition to 21’.
Even among gun owners, the majority (61 per cent) said they were in favour.
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The poll comes in the wake of last month’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in which 17 students were killed by 19-year-old former pupil Nikolas Jacob Cruz.
It also saw an overwhelming response in favour of a law to remove firearms from anyone who appears mentally ill and likely to pose a danger, as suggested by President Trump.
Gun owners were especially keen to see this become a reality, with 83 per cent supporting the proposal compared to 76 per cent of total respondents.
The poll also showed that the majority of people – 45 per cent – think it’s unreasonable to arm teachers, something that has been proposed in the wake of the Parkland shooting.
Republicans and gun owners disagree, however, with more than 60 per cent of each stating that it is reasonable for teachers to be armed.
