It is argued that part of the reason the public remains silent about adolescents committing suicide with guns is that people are unaware of the role of firearms in suicide. Asking about access to guns should be a routine part of taking a medical history from an at-risk adolescent & should be taught in medical schools, written about in textbooks, & made part of every history-taking protocol. Parents also have to ensure that at-risk adolescents have no access to guns in their homes. (7 refs.)