kitchen knives ban call

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4581871.stm

Doctors' kitchen knives ban call
Knife
Doctors say knives are too pointed
A&E doctors are calling for a ban on long pointed kitchen knives to reduce deaths from stabbing.
A team from West Middlesex University Hospital said violent crime is on the increase - and kitchen knives are used in as many as half of all stabbings.

They argued many assaults are committed impulsively, prompted by alcohol and drugs, and a kitchen knife often makes an all too available weapon.

The research is published in the British Medical Journal.

The researchers said there was no reason for long pointed knives to be publicly available at all.

They consulted 10 top chefs from around the UK, and found such knives have little practical value in the kitchen.

None of the chefs felt such knives were essential, since the point of a short blade was just as useful when a sharp end was needed.

The researchers said a short pointed knife may cause a substantial superficial wound if used in an assault - but is unlikely to penetrate to inner organs.

Knife wound
Kitchen knives can inflict appalling wounds
In contrast, a pointed long blade pierces the body like "cutting into a ripe melon".

The use of knives is particularly worrying amongst adolescents, say the researchers, reporting that 24% of 16-year-olds have been shown to carry weapons, primarily knives.

The study found links between easy access to domestic knives and violent assault are long established.

French laws in the 17th century decreed that the tips of table and street knives be ground smooth.

A century later, forks and blunt-ended table knives were introduced in the UK in an effort to reduce injuries during arguments in public eating houses.

The researchers say legislation to ban the sale of long pointed knives would be a key step in the fight against violent crime.

"The Home Office is looking for ways to reduce knife crime.

"We suggest that banning the sale of long pointed knives is a sensible and practical measure that would have this effect."

Government response

Home Office spokesperson said there were already extensive restrictions in place to control the sale and possession of knives.

"The law already prohibits the possession of offensive weapons in a public place, and the possession of knives in public without good reason or lawful authority, with the exception of a folding pocket knife with a blade not exceeding three inches.

"Offensive weapons are defined as any weapon designed or adapted to cause injury, or intended by the person possessing them to do so.

"An individual has to demonstrate that he had good reason to possess a knife, for example for fishing, other sporting purposes or as part of his profession (e.g. a chef) in a public place.

"The manufacture, sale and importation of 17 bladed, pointed and other offensive weapons have been banned, in addition to flick knives and gravity knives."

A spokesperson for the Association of Chief Police Officers said: "ACPO supports any move to reduce the number of knife related incidents, however, it is important to consider the practicalities of enforcing such changes."

 

In 2002, the estimated number of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in U.S. hospitals was approximately 1.7 million. The estimated number of deaths associated with HAIs in U.S. hospitals was 98,987.

Conclusion. HAIs in hospitals are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Thus, hospitals and heathcare professionals should be banned.

 

How about cars?
Maybe they should be banned to stop deaths related to car wrecks.
...or politicians they get us into wars.
OK, I've got it. How about we ban criminals and that will stop crime.

 

I must agree about traditional Sheffield knives with their arrow-like tip. I tend to round them a bit with sharpening -- poor habit, I agree.

 

Nanny states always chance the wrong reasons. Unfortunately most of us Americans can't helpful English friends.

 

Nakiris for everrrrybodddddyyyyyyy

 

My guess is Michael Bloomberg is backing this.

 

ban ink

 

Ha! James, you're banned

 

Are you F'n kidding me?!?!? Lets pay some knuckle head a million bucks to do a study on "common sense," ******!

 

That story looks like it was 9 years ago, personally I haven't heard anything about a ban since then over here. Doesn't really matter what you ban, the people with a tendency to carry knives to do harm will always find other things to use as weapons. For instance I saw a group of kids around 12-13 years old near my place tooling themselves up with screwdrivers a few weeks ago, one of them was showing the others how to stab someone with a screwdriver, so sad I did call the police by the way and they sent about 6 cars and 15 officers down to deal with them.
There are so many things than can cause serious injuries, but knife crime is a hot topic over here so guess it gets the most media coverage.

 

In fifty years, we'll all be required to wear motorcycle helmets at the kitchen table.

 

Common sense is pretty inaccurate and unreliable in many situations, actually. However, that doesn't make the [old] proposed ban any less worthy of ridicule.

 

some of us are already there Jay lol

 

He has the money to lobby against everything except grape fruit and skim milk.

 

Jim is being a wascally wabble wouser....

 

ridiculousness! Thanks for the laugh!

 

opump

 

Good bit of entertainment for you Jim Nothing like talk of a knife ban to get people yapping

 

Were would we put all the people that should be dead from stabbings then. $hit's over crowded as it is. We need to make longer and pointier knives to get rid of more of the Darwins out there.