Young adults are still teenagers.
Guns are a controversial topic within the U.S. — that is no secret. However, it is unanimously agreed upon that minors should not have access to guns due to their lack of maturity as well as understanding of any repercussions for the dangers of using a live firearm.
At least, it’s supposed to be unanimously agreed upon.
Most states in the U.S. have advocated for the use of a firearm at the age of 21. However, in Iowa, House Study Bill 262 plans to lower the age to 18. The bill has not yet been enacted, but if it were to pass, it would grant all legal young adults access to firearms, specifically pistols and revolvers.
This is a terrible idea for a multitude of reasons, the most severe of which is the mindset of an 18-year-old. In the U.S., anyone who turns 18 is technically considered a legally aged adult and not a minor. Nevertheless, that does not mean they have the emotional maturity of one.
It takes years of experience for someone to become an adult. An 18-year-old fresh out of high school is very much still a teenager in both heart and mind. Reaching the legal age doesn’t guarantee they’ll act responsibly around firearms. They still need time to develop.
Granting a minor access to weapons is lethal, since weapons in the hands of the emotionally and mentally immature youth have resulted in unnecessary deaths and loss of life. Understanding that killing is wrong isn’t always instinctive; it’s a belief shaped by time, experience, and moral guidance. This isn’t automatic for all 18-year-olds.
School shootings are an example of this. The 2022 Uvalde school shooting was committed by an 18-year-old who ended the lives of 19 children and two teachers. His ability to access firearms was legal in Texas, as it is possible to purchase a long gun from a licensed dealer there at 18.
As if school shootings weren’t enough, an accident can happen all too easily. In February 2020, an unnamed 18-year-old male accidentally shot himself while he was cleaning a loaded firearm in his possession. Without firearm training combined with access to a firearm, he accidentally took his own life.
A consistent factor in gun violence is mental health. The infamous 2018 Parkland school shooting occurred because the shooter not only had a petty vendetta against the school but also suffered mental health problems that were not consistently treated. Furthermore, the age cap to purchase a firearm at the time was 18 years old. The shooter obtained it when he was 19. Had the limit been 21, 17 lives may have been saved.
Though it is tempting to examine each case and pinpoint circumstantial evidence that resulted in the tragedies, the fact of the matter is that in most of these cases, the shooters obtained guns by illegal means. Now that gaining access to firearms at a younger age in Iowa has been legalized, it could trigger a butterfly effect that exacerbates the problem.
18-year-olds may be considered legal adults socially, but a young adult’s brain doesn’t fully develop until at least around the age of 24. According to the National Institute of Health, “Adolescence is a period of significant development that begins with the onset of puberty and ends in the mid-20s.”
Therefore, they are still prone to impulsive, rash behavior, peer pressure, and emotional instability because a young adult is still maturing. Combine all of that with a lack of gun education, maturity, and mental health support, and it’s chaos.
In short, Iowa should not even be considering lowering the firearm age limit to 18. History has proven time and time again that more innocents will die. More deaths could be prevented if the age limit for purchasing remains at 21. Those extra three years can make all the difference.