According to the most recent information published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of all suicides are by firearm. Guns account for only 6 percent of all suicide attempts annually in the United States, but they result in death 82.5 percent of the time. They are far more lethal than any other means.

While many choose to write off suicide victims as choosing their own fates, the reality is that many make impulsive choices that turned quickly irrevocable. Their deaths would be preventable with exactly the type of insight that the gun lobby is actively trying to suppress.

This misleading partnership between the A.F.S.P. and the National Shooting Sports Foundation was sold by the A.F.S.P.’s staff and executives as a way to educate low-information gun owners about suicide prevention. But the reality is that this partnership provides no information for the general public, gives incomplete advice and has had the effect of covering up clear and present dangers inside the home to depressed individuals.

While the two groups have developed a brochure that talks about storage options for firearms, it is woefully insufficient from a health perspective. Nowhere does it mention that having a gun in the home is associated with an increased risk of firearm suicide — regardless of whether the gun is kept in a secure location or of the number of guns in the home, according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

To choose only one outrageous example: The A.F.S.P. website, in addition to featuring photographs of several people handling guns, has a set of “frequently asked questions” about its partnership with the National Shooting Sports Foundation that includes, “Is the partnership advocating no guns in the home?” The answer is a confounding “No.”

The A.F.S.P. advocates “temporary” removal of firearms “during periods of increased risk of suicide” — yet it offers no guidance on how a civilian can legally remove a firearm from its owner. The dissonance is further heightened when gun owners hear from the other powerful voice in the room, the National Rifle Association, whose training materials state, “A gun stored primarily for personal protection must be ready for immediate use.” This is confusing and potentially deadly for gun owners and those inside their homes who may be thinking of taking their own lives. They need to be nowhere near a gun.