Poll trend on Gun Control, Pt 2

[Beet]

The question in this poll is slightly different from

"Do you think there should or should not be a law that would ban the possession of handguns, except by the police and other authorized persons?"

The above question is not really an issue as it is generally considered constitutionally impermissible in the states; and even if it was it has no chance of being proposed. The below question however

"Would you favor or oppose a law which would require a person to obtain a police permit before he or she could buy a gun?", is politically relevant, because policy in this arena is actually in potential flux, and with there being some but certainly not universal licensing requirements.
                           Favor                  Oppose
March 1972          70                       27
May 1972             72                       24
March 1973          74                       25
March 1974          75                       23
February 1975     71                       28
February 1976     73                       24
March 1976          72                       27
March 1977          71                       27
March 1980          69                       29
March 1982          72                       26
March 1984          71                       27
March 1985          72                       27
March 1987          69                       29
March 1988          74                       24
March 1989          78                       20
March 1990          79                       19
March 1991          81                       18
March 1993          81                       18
March 1994          78                       21
March 1996          80                       18
March 1998          82                       16
March 2000          79                       18
March 2002          81                       19
March 2004          80                       19
March 2006          78                       20

Source: General Social Survey, and the Survey Research Center, University of Michigan

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The only states where this is an issue are Alaska and Vermont (the only two states that allow one to carry a gun without a permit)

[Beet]

The only states where this is an issue are Alaska and Vermont (the only two states that allow one to carry a gun without a permit)

I think you're confusing concealed carry (which is "the legal authorization for private citizens to carry a handgun or other weapons in public in a concealed manner, either on the person or in close proximity to the person") with license to purchase (which many states do not require, or do not effectively deal with gun show loopholes).