Posted on 03/27/2013 10:31:54 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
Upstate Rep. Joshua Putnam says the doctor's office is no place to be asked about your guns.
But at Palmetto Pediatric, Dr. Deborah Greenhouse says it can be an invaluable part of routine checkups. She's seen what happens when kids don't get the message.
"Three-year old, 5-year old sibling," explained Greenhouse. "A gun was laying around. One picked it up, shot and killed the other."
"Just like I would talk to a family where maybe the parent is a smoker and would be exposing the child to secondhand smoke, it's the same thing here," she said. "If the parent is a firearm owner, we should be talking to them about how to keep their child safe."
"The intent of this legislation is to put a safeguard there to make sure that the Second Amendment rights and the privacy of South Carolinians are not trampled upon," said Putnam.
Putnam's bill is similar to one Floridians came to know as Docs vs. Glocks. It passed two years ago but didn't hold up to First Amendment challenges and could be repealed.
Putnam said his bill is meant to ensure physicians won't one day be required to turn over patient information that would be put into a kind of a federal gun owner database.
"We just don't want the citizens to go their physician and have something jotted down in notes and then that gets reported back to the federal government," he said.
"I would say that is totally ludicrous," said Greenhouse. "I do not document in my chart the number of guns in a household. I don't really care. I do mark that I counseled a family on firearm safety."
Putnam's bill would allow doctors to discuss guns if the patient were being treated for mental health purposes was in an abusive situation or if they'd already been shot.
According to Greenhouse, it's a slippery slope.
"Today it's Mr. Putnam saying I can't talk about gun safety," she said. "Tomorrow, it could be someone from big tobacco saying I can't talk about smoking cessation."
Putnam said he's fine with doctors handing out pamphlets on gun safety, but that in the exam room, doctors should focus only on the medicine.
I love it. I think most pediatricians who were handed one of those forms would stop ask any patients or their parents about guns.
If my doctor ever starts asking me questions about this, I’ve already decided I’m simply going to lie about it and say “No, I do not have any.”
If we get argumentative with them with the “none of your business line”, I suspect that will trigger a visit from Mr. Law Officer.
I have no NRA stickers on any of my vehicles....no identifying giveaways.
If my doctor ask the question do you have any guns and I responded No....... he would ask “Why not?”
Sounds like my childhood dentist. I think he was a Bircher :-)
My doctor does not have to ask. We have gone shooting quite a few times together. (^;
*sigh* Great commercial.
Unfortunately now, Having that kind of fun, those boys would be arrested and handcuffed, thrown out of school, put on Ritalin, or a police SWAT team would raid their home.
It’s interesting how as the elites attempt to destroy boys being boys and demonize owning guns, the result has been an increase in school shootings, and drive by shootings.
“I have one of those doctor type of phobias, have not seen one in three years,”
Only three? Last time I saw a doctor, nicotine patches were still prescription only.
Doctor’s attitude: F*ck you — do it my way or not at all.
Nicotine patches came off “prescription only” status, and they helped me quit smoking. For good. MY WAY.
I never thought of going to a pediatrician for a gun safety course. I wonder if my health insurance covers that. I hope she offers food safety classes too. That is a much more common problem.
Check out the link in my post #20 on this thread.
I love it! Especially the liability portion.
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