THE NEW SOLUTION FOR PREVENTING PURCHASES OF FIREARMS BY INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL DISORDERS

(From the forthcoming book- “Invisible Scars, How to Treat Combat Stress And PTSD Without Medication”, By Bart P Billings, PhD, (December 2015, www.bartpbillings.com)

With the current mass shootings, the media and politicians are stating that something needs to be done in regard to gun control, as well as focusing more on mental health issues.

If the focus on mental health issues requires increasing the numbers of mental health providers, such as psychiatrists, whose primary treatment modality is prescribing brain altering psychiatric medications, then this solution would only increase the problem. It will be adding fuel to the fire. It has been established that most all of the mass shooters were on or previously using prescription brain altering psychiatric medications. Also many of the shooters got their guns legally with background checks. Therefore the issue should be on brain altering psychiatric meds being used.

When increasing the number of mental health providers, we must look at specialties that practice integrative treatment, without the use of psychiatric medications, i.e. psychologists, social workers, counselors, etc.

In my soon to be released book, “INVISIBLE SCARS – How To Treat Combat Stress and PTSD Without Medication”, I discuss and sight research that shows most all mass shooters, over the past decade, have either actively been on or previously been on brain altering psychiatric medications and in some cases, alcohol or illegal drugs as well. Therefore, the focus now should be on “psychiatric medication control” instead of focusing on “gun control”.

Since there is such a strong relationship between the mass shootings and brain altering psychiatric medication, it would be common sense to set up a system where anyone taking a brain altering psychiatric medication would not be allowed to purchase or own a firearm.

A reasonable way of accomplishing this would be for: all pharmacists, filling a prescription for a black box, brain altering psychiatric medication, who normally enter the patient’s name into their computer, would at the same time, be linked to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI’s data base. Once in the DOJ and FBI system, the person’s name would be sent to every firearms retailer in the United States, putting the name on a “can not buy” a firearm list.

This way, if the person named on the DOJ “can not buy” list, comes into a gun store to purchase a weapon, the salesperson would simply say their name is on a “can not buy” list. The list gives no reason, due to confidentially, and if the person on the list wants to know why they can’t purchase a firearm, the salesperson would simply give them the contact information at DOJ, to get an explanation.

I would also recommend that if a relative, with the same last name of the person on the list comes into purchase a firearm, they should be informed that their relative should not have access to the firearm and that they themselves would be liable if this occurs.

Some may say that this may breach confidentiality, but in California and other states, systems are already in place, where if a person has the potential to harm themselves or others, it gets reported before hand to the proper agency.

A good example is when a person is considered to have a lapse of consciousness, due to some type of brain impairment. The physician has a responsibility to report this person to the appropriate source, so the information gets to the Department Of Motor Vehicles.

For example: “California HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, SECTION 103900 states:

(a) Every physician and surgeon shall report immediately to the local health officer in writing, the name, date of birth, and address of every patient at least 14 years of age or older whom the physician and surgeon has diagnosed as having a case of a disorder characterized by lapses of consciousness. However, if a physician and surgeon reasonably and in good faith believes that the reporting of a patient will serve the public interest, he or she may report a patient’s condition even if it may not be required under the department’s definition of disorders characterized by lapses of consciousness pursuant to subdivision (d).

(b) The local health officer shall report in writing to the Department of Motor Vehicles the name, age, and address, of every person reported to it as a case of a disorder characterized by lapses of consciousness.

(c) These reports shall be for the information of the Department of Motor Vehicles in enforcing the Vehicle Code, and shall be kept confidential and used solely for the purpose of determining the eligibility of any person to operate a motor vehicle on the highways of this state.

(d) The department, in cooperation with the Department of Motor Vehicles, shall define disorders characterized by lapses of consciousness based upon existing clinical standards for that definition for purposes of this section and shall include Alzheimer’s disease and those related disorders that are severe enough to be likely to impair a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle in the definition”.

Another system that is already in place, that is even more closely related to potential dangers of prescription brain altering psychiatric medications in California is called, the “Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) Program”.

This program is as follows:

“State of California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) are pleased to announce that the state’s new Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System – commonly referred to as “CURES 2.0” – will go live on July 1, 2015. This upgraded prescription drug monitoring program features a variety of performance improvements and added functionality.

The Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) is a database containing information on Schedule II through IV controlled substances dispensed in California. It is a valuable investigative, preventive, and educational tool for the healthcare community, regulatory boards, and law enforcement”.

Therefore, as one can see, mechanisms are already in existence that can be slightly altered to add brain altering psychiatric medications. There are actually some brain altering psychiatric medications (Controlled Substance) on the CURES list that are already identified as Schedule II controlled substances; to mention a few i.e.; Amphetamine – Adderall, Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) used for the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy. Also listed is Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), Dexmethylphenidate (Focalin), for treatment of ADHD, narcolepsy. Additionally, this applies to Methamphetamine for treatment of ADHD, severe obesity. There are many more brain altering medications prescribed by physicians, being used for mental health patients, on this schedule II list.

As you can see from the above, there are already systems in place that can be added to, that can identify individuals that have a mental disorder, that are on brain altering psychiatric medications. By implementing my suggested above program as perscribed, the number of people with mental disorders, having access to legally purchasing a firearm, would be dramatically reduced.

Also, I feel that the FDA should have the pharmaceutical companies, include in their Medication Guide, which patients and their families are supposed to be given, by the physician prescribing brain altering “Black Box” psychiatric medications, the following information: “Individuals taking this medication should not have access to firearms”.

*This information is a portion of copyrighted material from “Invisible Scars” by Bart Billings, PhD.