Everyone knows that conversations about guns are quite divided here in America. Even so, it’s interesting to see how other countries deal with this issue—and the unexpected results. Several countries have far stricter gun laws than America yet they couldn’t have predicted the consequences of enforcing these laws. Here are eight countries with strict gun laws and the results of this.
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Creating Your Own Solutions
In Japan, getting your hands on a gun legally is quite difficult and that’s why some people have decided to get crafty. The nation has seen a rise in homemade firearms because of the hoops you have to jump through to get a gun, including background checks & mental health evaluations. Where there’s a will, there’s a way—even if it involves building a gun from scratch.
The Wild Side of Gun Control
After Australia decided to tighten its gun laws in 1996, hunting took a hit. This led to a boom in some wildlife populations but it’s not all good news. Some areas are now dealing with too many of certain animals and this cause` issues for local ecosystems. For example, feral cats have caused several bird species to become extinct while the increase in rabbit populations has destroyed a lot of land.
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Switching Tools
Over in the UK, getting a gun is a major hassle and that’s why some people have swapped their would-be firearms for knives. After all, if criminals can’t shoot other people then they’ll just find another way to create trouble. The country’s capital, London, is currently suffering from a knife crime epidemic and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Trusting the Process
On the positive side, Norway’s strict gun laws have created a far more trusting community. People feel so safe that leaving doors unlocked is more like a friendly gesture—many people are not afraid of violent burglaries since guns are so hard to get here. Clearly, not all strict gun laws are a bad thing!
The Dark Side of Demand
While Mexico does take a tough stance on who’s able to own a gun, this has unintentionally fueled a black market bonanza. Criminal gangs are determined to get their hands on firearms—and many of them do. With such a huge demand for guns, there’ll always be the guarantee of a supplier & this proves that solving gun violence isn’t as simple as making laws stricter.
Security Goes Private
In South Africa, owning a gun for protection is rather difficult and this has created an entire industry. Private security firms are in high demand. Why? Because people will take protection into their own hands and sometimes that involves paying someone else to do it for them. Essentially, security has become a status symbol over there.
The Rise of Non-Lethal Self-Defense
Like the United Kingdom, Sweden has strict gun laws which have directly caused an increase in the use of non-lethal self-defense tools. These include pepper sprays & personal alarms. A new market has emerged for tools that’ll help someone protect themselves—but without causing permanent harm.
Increase in Gun Crime
Despite having tough gun laws, there’s been a rise in firearms being used for murder in Finland. In one 5-year period, statistics showed that around 15% of murders were committed with a firearm—and in 73% of these cases, the owners had these weapons illegally. 18% were also used in suicides. Clearly, strict gun laws aren’t enough to keep people safe.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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