During the 1980s the homicide rate in Britain rose by 50 percent  The weapon used usually was a knife  Potentially lethal knives are sold openly and legally in many shops  Most homicide deaths occur as a result of unpremeditated assaults within the family  Even if these are increasing, they would probably not result in deaths if it were not for the prevalence of such knives
Thus the blame lies with the permissiveness of the government that allows such lethal weapons to be sold
The argument assumes without justification that the knives used to commit homicide are generally purchased as part of a deliberate plan to commit murder or to inflict grievous harm on a family member.