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FILE-A sales associate takes a gun from a gun display in a store. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Gun control in the US has long been a hotly debated topic, but now there appears to be a shift in Americans’ views on the issue based on a new poll.

In a recent Gallup poll, most people still want stricter gun laws and a ban on assault weapons in the country, while others oppose banning guns.

About 56 percent of respondents support stricter gun laws that cover gun sales, while 33 percent prefer gun laws to remain as they are now and 10 percent want gun laws to be less strict.

RELATED: Gun violence remains the leading cause of death for US youth, report finds

The poll noted that the 20 percent of Americans who would favor a law banning the possession of guns except by police and other authorized persons fell by seven percentage points from 2023.

On the issue of banning assault weapons, 52% of respondents say there should be a ban on the manufacture, possession and sale of assault rifles. But support for a ban is lower than measured in two previous polls, according to Gallup.

RELATED: Surgeon General declares US gun violence a public health crisis

Meanwhile, the political parties have opposing views on gun control in the US, with 89 percent of Democrats supporting stricter gun laws, compared to 56 percent of independents and 25 percent of Republicans.

Fifty-nine percent of Republicans support keeping gun sales laws as they are now, while 15 percent favor less stringent laws. Along with a majority of independents who favor stricter gun laws, 31% want to see them stay the same and 12% support stricter laws.

Additionally, Democrats (82%) support banning assault weapons compared to Republicans (27%) and independents (50%).

Gallup used data from its Oct. 1-12 crime survey for its recent poll on gun laws and assault weapons bans.

US Surgeon General declares gun violence a public health crisis

In June 2024, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisisdriven by the rapidly increasing number of gun injuries and deaths in the country.

To reduce gun deaths, Murthy urges the US to ban “assault weapons and high-capacity magazines for civilian use”, introduce universal background checks for gun purchases, regulate the industry, pass laws restricting their use in public spaces and to sanction people. who fail to safely store their weapons.

These changes cannot be enacted nationally without legislation passed by Congress. However, some state legislatures have implemented or may consider some of the surgeon general’s proposals.