Story highlights 52% of Americans now oppose stricter gun control laws

About seven in 10 Americans believe it is important for most Americans to support proposed changes to gun laws before those changes are implemented

Washington (CNN) About half of all Americans oppose stricter gun control laws, a larger segment of the population than those who support tighter controls on guns, according to a new CNN/ORC poll released Wednesday.

Nearly three weeks after the latest mass shooting claimed the lives of nine people , 52% of Americans now oppose stricter gun control laws, 6 percentage points more than the 46% of Americans who support such laws. That's a wider gap than in June when CNN last surveyed Americans on gun control, finding that the public was equally split at 49% on the issue.

The advantage of those opposed to stricter gun control laws over those in favor is outside of the poll's 3-point margin of error.

But the issue of whether guns can make the public safer remains deeply divisive. Americans are nearly equally split between whether guns in public places make those places safer, less safe or don't make a difference.

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