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by bell-cot 1312 days ago
> I blame the federal assault weapon ban and 9/11 for ...

Small picture...kinda maybe. Bigger picture - I'd say it's far more due to widespread social / economic insecurity. And the culture wars that a lot of American "leaders" have found it personally profitable to whip up.

For many people who feel insecure - talking about guns, handling guns, firing guns, etc. can provide neurochemical "benefits" that you probably couldn't match with any sort of pill. But the downsides, either over time or at scale, are probably as bad as mass consumption of mood-management substances would be.