Ghost guns are dangerous and should be illegal.

Any gun, in the wrong hands, is a real and present danger.

It does not matter that ghost guns, weapons without traceable serial numbers built from kits ordered over the Internet, are illegal in several states.

They are largely unregulated and end up on the streets and used in violent crimes.

According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the number of illegal weapons recovered by law enforcement agencies grew from 1,629 in 2017 to 19,273 in 2021 — a 1,000% increase.

A Valdosta mother, Shamiah Sharp, is suing two online providers of gun assembly kits — Polymer80 of Nevada and Delta Team Tactical of Utah — in federal court for selling the parts needed to assemble a pistol used to shoot her son.

Unbelievably, Georgia has no law restricting untraceable firearms, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

The clandestine guns are dangerous for several reasons. They are reliable and can result in accidental injuries. They are untraceable and for that reason often used in criminal activity. They are purchased in parts and then assembled by the purchaser and therefore are a way to circumvent gun registration laws and background checks.

The guns can be easily purchased by people who could not obtain a gun otherwise.

While local authorities have said the guns are not pervasive here yet, there is no real way to know exactly how many of the untraceable weapons are out there.

Americans support more gun control.

Even individuals who strongly defend the Second Amendment also believe more could be done to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and people suffering from mental health challenges.

A poll by the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research last year following a string of shootings showed 71% of Americans believe gun laws should be stricter, including about half of Republicans, the vast majority of Democrats and a majority of those in gun-owning households, AP reported.

A few things are clear and unequivocal.

People suffering from mental and emotional health issues have no business owning any type of firearm.

People with a history of family violence or threatening others have no business owning weapons.

Common sense gun control is not about taking away hunting rifles, shotguns or even standard pistols.

Limiting access to high-risk individuals and to weapons capable of mass destruction and loss of life, however, are measures the majority of Americans support.

Red flag laws and comprehensive, mandatory background checks with no loopholes are absolute musts and that includes putting an end to loopholes through which ghost guns have easily passed for several years.

These kinds of gun controls are not a threat to the Second Amendment but rather simply an issue of the safety and well being of the public, especially our children.

Georgia lawmakers should reverse course and instead of removing all the guardrails pass measures that would prevent people who have no business with a gun in their hands from being able to easily obtain one.