Increase in Teen Handgun-Carrying in Florida from 2002 to 2022

A comprehensive study published in July 2025 in the journal Pediatrics reveals significant changes in handgun-carrying behaviors among adolescents in Florida over a 20-year period. The research analyzed data from 701,649 participants in the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, focusing on trends from 2002 to 2022. Findings indicate that general handgun-carrying among teens has risen by 65%, increasing from 3.7% to 6.0%. Conversely, the incidence of carrying handguns within school environments has decreased dramatically by 60%, dropping from 1.1% to 0.4%. Notably, this increase in general handgun-carrying was more pronounced among female students, middle schoolers, and white adolescents, who showed odds ratios of 3.04, 2.16, and 1.99 respectively in 2022 compared to 2002. Meanwhile, decreases in school-based carrying were particularly observed among male and rural students, with reductions of 70% and 80%. Additionally, teens’ favorable attitudes toward carrying handguns in school and access to handguns became less common over time, decreasing by approximately 27% and 23% respectively. The authors emphasize that distinct sociodemographic groups contribute differently to these trends, underscoring the need for targeted prevention efforts to address the associated risks of handgun access among adolescents.