In 1997, there were 2,314,245 deaths reported in the USA. According to the CDC (see link above; go to ‘injury mortality’), 3,043 deaths were due to ‘misadventures during medical care, abnormal reactions, and late complications,’ and another 248 due to adverse effects of drugs used in treatment. That’s a bit more than the 1,618 firearms deaths that weren’t homicide or suicide, but a lot fewer than 120,000.
Total deaths of children under 15, other than homicide or suicide, 1997,
By poisoning: 95.
By firearm: 157.
Total deaths of children under 15, 1997,
By poisoning: 132.
By firearm: 630.
There were 146,400 deaths due to injury (which includes suicides, homicides, and accidents) in 1997; of them, 42,473 involved cars, 32,435 involved guns, 17,692 poisonings, 12,555 falls, and so on. So if you died without getting sick first, a gun was the second most likely way you went.
19,481 people in the US were victims of a homicide in 1997; 13,252 people were victims of gun homicides, so a gun was used in 68% of homicides that year.
Right now I’m not arguing anything, but there were some slightly inaccurate numbers up, so I thought I’d put up some honest ones, with a link to more. But FTR, guns seem to be more deadly, here, than poison or doctors.
Enough of voting for the lesser of evils - vote Cthulhu 2000!