The medical community has a long history of serving as a privatized arm of Gun Control Inc. Organizations such as the American Medical Association (AMA) have previously proclaimed gun violence is a “public health crisis” and have pushed for several sweeping gun control restrictions. But on Nov. 18, 2024, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery put out a statement defending the use of firearms suppressors as a way to mitigate the risk of hearing loss.

The proclamation read:

“Sound suppressors are mechanical devices attached to the barrel of a firearm designed to reduce harmful impulse noise of firearms at its source. CDC research has shown that ‘The only potentially effective noise control method to reduce [shooters’] noise exposure from gunfire is through the use of noise suppressors that can be attached to the end of the gun barrel.’  Suppressors reduce muzzle blast noise by up to 30 dB. Their benefit is additive when used with ear-level hearing protection devices such as circumaural muffs or ear plugs. The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery endorses the use of firearm suppressors as an effective method of reducing the risk of hearing loss, especially when used in conjunction with conventional hearing protective measures.”

The AAO-HNS stressed that it is not taking an official political stance. Instead, they’re simply spelling out the facts.

According to multiple studies AAO-HNS cited, suppressors are better for enhancing a gun owner’s hearing protection than conventional methods such as using earplugs or headsets. That said, the research concluded that using firearms suppressors in conjunction with using hearing protection yielded better results for lowering the risk of hearing loss from the noise of firing guns or being close to where they are being fired.

The media and Hollywood have filled people’s heads with cartoon-like perspectives about suppressors. There is a general belief that these accessories are overwhelmingly used by rogue actors to surreptitiously kill individuals, to subsequently run off in the shadows to evade justice. First off, suppressors do not fully silence firearms. They merely reduce the noise firearms create to levels that pose less of a threat to a shooter’s hearing. 

Secondly, suppressors have widespread use among the United States’ heavily armed population. According to a report by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), Americans owned 4.9 million suppressors as of July 2024. Despite the elaborate regulatory maze law-abiding Americans must traverse to acquire suppressors thanks to National Firearms Act of 1934, which forces prospective buyers to pay a $200 fee, they still want to get their hands on these devices for legitimate purposes. 

Gun controllers don’t care about the facts. They’re more concerned about propagating narratives that stoke fear and hysteria. When people take leave of their senses and don’t think through things, they are much more vulnerable to being manipulated by demagogues. 

On a more positive note, there appears to be growing rationality in the medical space on the benefits of gun ownership. Although there is still much work to be done, the AAO-HNS’s recent endorsement of suppressors is a welcome change. With gun owners going on a roll at the state level with the successes of Constitutional Carry and increased gun ownership across the board, more Americans are beginning to realize that gun ownership is not inherently dangerous. 

As a result, professional associations such as the AAO-HNS are coming around to several facets of gun ownership and are no longer reflexively lashing out against the idea. We could perhaps be on the verge of a massive shift in public opinion on the issue of gun rights. 

As long as the Second Amendment community continues getting on the win column, an increasing number of Americans will soon realize that expanded gun ownership is both a blessing for civil liberties and an effective way of maintaining public safety.