UK To Ban Kitchen Knives?

Opponents of gun control have long ridiculed those who believes reducing the number of legal gun sales would lead to a lower crime rate. "What is next?" they would ask in jest, "Licensing for baseball bats? What about kitchen knives?" Well, it appears British doctors weren't laughing. A group of them is now calling for a complete ban on pointed kitchen knives in an attempt to reduce stabbings.

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

This is the kind of thing that 20 years ago would have made an amusing Saturday Night Live sketch. I will admit that gun control lobbyists at least have one solid point - the only function of a gun is to kill or maim, whether you are shooting at a living thing or a clay pigeon. But knives? They have medical uses, artistic uses, practical uses, as well as potential weapon uses. And unfortunately, humans are infinitely inventive in finding ways to harm each other. If knives are banned then razor blades will see a sharp increase in sales. If razor blades are banned, then we'll see an increase in the use of tent spikes. If tent spikes are banned, then we'll see an increase in baseball or cricket bat maulings, etc. Sigh. But then, why blame the person, when there is something nearby that you can legislate?