Chicago group Stick Talk is offering gun training to youth, says the New York Times, telling them to keep their guns, but learn how to handle them safely.
It is a strategy adapted from the philosophy of harm reduction, better known in the arenas of drug addiction and public health. Stick Talk teaches small groups of teenagers and young adults skills like first aid for gunshot wounds and how to avoid accidental discharges.
Owning a gun is illegal for people under 21 in Chicago, and Stick Talk does not teach participants how to fire weapons. It does teach them how to carry, clean, and store a gun and how to comport oneself during a police stop. Lifesaving techniques are taught by Ujimaa Medics, a Black health collective. Stick Talk participants are also paid a small sum to attend the sessions.
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