Civilian ownership of stun guns warrants fewer safety measures than those for firearms, says president of StunGun.com
A Boston, Mass.-based personal security expert agrees with commonsense safety measures for civilians' stun gun use but also encourages legislators to differentiate between stuns and bullets.


/Guns and Firearms News Articles/ - BOSTON, MA, June 25, 2005 - (StunGun.com) Concern over civilians' access to stun guns has prompted lawmakers in at least one state to require the kind of background checks long the domain of firearm sales. A Boston, Mass.-based personal security expert agrees with commonsense safety measures but also encourages legislators to differentiate between stuns and bullets.

"Lawmakers' constituents learn from the news about the worst examples of stun gun misuse," said Robert Siciliano, president of StunGun.com. "Even though these infractions, mostly law enforcement's, are exceptions to the rule, people get scared and then overreact to the thought of civilians also having access to stun guns." An expert in personal security and identity theft, Siciliano is author of "The Safety Minute: 01."

On June 4, the Chicago Tribune reported on a new law in Illinois that requires any civilian stun gun buyer to undergo background checks and wait 24 hours before obtaining the newly purchased weapon. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed the law before a media audience and, according to the article, also "claimed victory" over the National Rifle Association by closing a loophole that had been allowing people to avoid the hassles of background checks when buying firearms at private gun shows.

"While a background check for a stun gun purchase is reasonable," Siciliano said, "the slope is a slippery one for Illinois, and I encourage the state's governor and legislators not to place inordinate restrictions on civilian stun gun use. These are useful weapons, after all, for self defense."

"Politicians must refrain from grandstanding," Siciliano added. "Stun guns are not firearms, and it is dishonest politics to conflate these two very different kinds of weapon types to pander for votes and support."

In his columns, Jim Kouri, CPP, vice president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, has drawn on Siciliano's expertise regarding law enforcement's use of stun guns. Siciliano has been on radio programs this year to discuss the safety of stun guns.

"The fuss over stun gun safety, I suspect, is partially a byproduct of all the media attention on Taser," Siciliano added.

This year has beset Arizona-based Taser International, the world's largest stun gun manufacturer, with unfavorable publicity related to a rollercoaster stock ride and questions about proprietary research into the safety of stun guns.

The Charlotte Business Journal has quoted Siciliano on developments in the stun gun industry. The New York Post has covered StunGun.com in its business pages.

"It's important to remember that stun guns have been available to civilians for a long time," Siciliano said. "I've trained people on how to use them. This is a useful weapon for self defense, and people who demonize it are misguided."

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Robert Siciliano
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