The psychiatric and criminal history of family members of persons applying for a gun license should also be questioned

Upon examining the recent surge in women applying to our hospital's health board, we found that men with criminal records or psychiatric disorders, which could hinder their ability to obtain a license, often resort to using their wives or other women as intermediaries to obtain firearms. The purpose of this letter is to draw attention to the importance of questioning the psychiatric and criminal history of not only the applicant but also the family members of the applicant who live with him during the gun license application process.