(Columbus, OH) Ohio issued a record number of conceal carry licenses last year.
A report from the Ohio attorney general shows more than 158,000 conceal carry licenses were issued in 2016-- the largest number since those licenses first were issued in 2004.
Nearly 118,00 of those are new licenses, while more than 40,000 are renewals. That shattered the 2013 record when 145,000 licenses were issued.
A tense political climate, officer-involved shootings, and an overall perception that lock-and-load is the best way to stay safe appear to be fueling the jump in permits.