Suicide Prevention

Annually, more than half of all firearm-related fatalities are suicide deaths. Recognizing this, NSSF—The Firearm Industry Trade Association—is working to provide education on mental health and suicide prevention to the firearm-owning community to reduce the rate of suicide by firearm. To help achieve this goal, NSSF strongly encourages the use and sharing of the life-saving materials on this website.

Suicide is preventable, not inevitable. We all have the potential to help save lives by recognizing warning signs of suicide, knowing how to have a “brave conversation” with someone who is struggling, and understating the importance of securely storing firearms and other means of suicide. Secure storage creates “time and space” between a person in crisis and the means of self-harm, and preventing access creates a vital pause that can save a life.

NSSF has partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the largest suicide prevention organization in the country, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to create toolkits and educational materials for industry and the firearm-owning community. NSSF’s role as a trusted messenger to deliver these materials to firearm retailers and shooting facilities and to gun owners is important. Gun owners and their families know that the firearm industry respects their right to own and use firearms for recreational shooting, hunting and personal and home protection. At the same, we know that millions of Americans will struggle with their mental health at some time during their lives, and that during difficult times, steps can be taken—without compromising the right to own firearms—to reduce access in order to prevent a tragedy.