First-time gun ownership has surged across the United States in recent months as gun background checks hit record highs. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), as many as 8.5 million people bought their first gun in 2020. Furthermore, FBI data shows that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) processed more than 4,317,000 background check requests for gun purchases in January of this year, the highest number for a single month since November 1998. In February, NICS processed over 3,442,000 background checks nationwide, among which seven states had more than 100,000 requests. The total for January and February 2021 is close to the number of background checks completed for the entire year 2000. In 2020, NICS processed nearly 40 million background checks for gun purchases, an increase of approximately 40 percent compared to 2019, reaching an all-time annual high. The U.S. Concealed Carry Association (UCCA) noted that …