Support for a law requiring a police permit before purchasing a firearm was between 69-75% in 1972- 1988 with no clear trend before moving up from 73.5% in 1988 to a peak of 81.9% in 1998. Support remained at 78-81% during 1989-2008 before slipping to a low of 71.7% in 2014, the lowest level since 1987. Thus, the gains in support in the late 1980s and 1990s have disappeared in recent years. - Trends in Gun Ownership in the United States, 1972-2014 (GSS)