Florida doctors defend right to discuss guns with patients

reuters ^ | June 6, 2011 | Terry Baynes

[PROCON]

(Reuters) - A group of Florida physicians filed a federal lawsuit on Monday seeking to overturn a new state law that limits doctors' ability to ask patients about guns in the home.

The lawsuit, filed in Miami federal court, says the new law is an unconstitutional ban on physicians' free speech and prevents them from counseling patients on firearm safety.

[PROCON]

Doctors have NO business, asking this question!

[PROCON]

Banglist Ping!

[wastedyears]

It has nothing to do about safety, and everything to do about control.

[momtothree]

“Doctors have NO business asking this question”

Unless the doctor has to surgically remove a firearm from your butt, then he should keep his mouth shut about firearm safety. IMHO

[Vaquero]

effffyou Doc...

my guns are MY BUSINESS.....(unless I want to discuss them)

ps I told my Doc I would take him to my range this spring summer...he does not like going to public ranges.

[cripplecreek]

I’d ask “Why, am I allergic to gun oil?”

[EricT.]

I know a doctor in a nameless Southern state who will be happy to discuss guns with you, starting with his WW2 submachinegun collection.

[PROCON]

Unless the doctor has to surgically remove a firearm from your butt

I think that would hurt worse than a bullet..:=)

[Salamander]

Our doctor packs at his office.

[6ppc]

I know a doctor in a nameless Southern state who will be happy to discuss guns with you, starting with his WW2 submachinegun collection.

I discuss guns with doctors and dentists all the time. There's quite a few shooting benchrest.

[celtic gal]

That is a good doc...

[NautiNurse]

Yikes, my doctor and I spent 30 minutes out of a 15 minute checkup appointment comparing our gun collections. Turns out, we have very similar tastes in handguns.

[Joe Brower]

Heh. My dermatologist was telling me just yesterday about the Sig 556 he bought, because he "likes Sigs". "Nice rifle", I told him, "But I prefer the AR15 series for the 5.56x45mm due to their widespread use and parts availability." He hadn't considered that.

It's nice to know that not all docs in the Sunshine State are buying the BS.

[Malone LaVeigh]

Pass a law requiring them to disclose any and all malpractice lawsuits filed against them. See how well they like that.

[50cal Smokepole]

Uh huh. And the names won't EVER end up in a centralized gubmint database. Friggin’ gun grabbers...

[piytar]

I’m actually slightly - very slightly - against this law.

Why?

Because I’d want to know if my doctor was a left wing idiot. I’d change doctors immediately. So would many other patients.

Buh bye practice...

[momtothree]

“I think that would hurt worse than a bullet”.

After I wrote that and posted it, I thought if a doctor had to remove a gun from your butt then maybe you did need a gun safety talk! LOL!

[rhombus]

If I go to a doctor I pretty much agree that he can ask me any question he likes. He may not like my answer and I might tell him it’s none of his business and I might also fire him. That’s my right.

[Sergio]

I like to point out to the good doctor that in for 2007 there were 730 accidental gun deaths in the U.S.A. For the same period there were over 98,000 accidental medical deaths. I then point out that my risk for death is 134 time greater, just sitting in his office than it would be sitting in a home with a firearm, and that I would rather discuss what he is doing to make his office safer.

[SpaceBar]

So now invasive questions regarding a legal activity that has absolutely no bearing or relevance on the immediate health concerns of the patient is now considered constitutionally protected free speech by some lawyer.