Shannon Watts Spreads Misinformation on AR-15s

Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts responded to President Trump’s Syria policy by claiming it is easier to purchase a semiautomatic rifle than it is to purchase Sudafed.

Watts did not mention that the FDA allows Sudafed to be purchased at retail by simply showing one’s driver’s license. There is no waiting period or National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check. However, a NICS check must be performed on each individual seeking to buy a semiautomatic rifle at retail and, in some states, that check must be preceded by securing a gun owners’ license or a certificate of gun safety.

Moreover, some states also have waiting periods in place for the purchase of firearms at retail and in some states, such as Washington, an enhanced background check for AR-15 purchases entails an extended waiting period.