Intended for healthcare professionals

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Editorials

Reducing knife crime

BMJ 2005; 330 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.330.7502.1221 (Published 26 May 2005) Cite this as: BMJ 2005;330:1221

Rapid Response:

Aichmophobia?

Sir,

According to Hansard, the Home Office Minister Hazel Blears stated
that there were 234 homicides in 2003/4 where the weapon was a "sharp
instrument".There are no statistics for serious injury caused by knives or
sharp instruments.

By way of contrast, in 2003 there were 37,215 serious road
casualties, including 3,508 fatalities. ("Road Casualties in Great
Britain:2003 Annual Report" Department for Transport) This represents a
carnage rate of 1500% compared to that caused by nutters with knives.

If advocates of the nanny-state wish to propose banning things for
the protection of the innocent, surely the motor-car is the first place to
start?

Competing interests:
User of sharp pointy things

Competing interests: No competing interests

28 May 2005
Godfrey S Bartlett
Acupuncturist
Brentwood, Essex, CM14 4UJ.