EAST LANSING - Guns have been a topic of discussion both within the media and within politics quite frequently over the past few years. In the state of Michigan, citizens are allowed to openly carry, and are also able to receive a concealed carry permit.

“A conceal carry permit is just basically what it says," said Demmer Center Firearms Instructor and former police officer Albert VanSteenkiste. "You carry it hidden, and you have to have a concealed pistol license in order to do that.”

Michigan State University student Nick Jugan has been around guns almost his entire life, and is one of the many Michigan residents who posses a conceal carry license.

“I’ve had a conceal carry permit for about a year now, I really enjoy having one, I think its a really great thing that the state of Michigan offers for its residents,” said Jugan.

“Basically, people who carry concealed handgun are very responsible individuals," described VanSteenkiste. "They know what the laws are, they obey the laws, not only in firearms but throughout society."

Those who wish to receive a permit have to go through extensive measures to get one.

"If they want to go and carry a handgun, they have to take a basic pistol safety class," said VanSteenkiste. "They have to take another class called personal protection in the home, which allows them to go ahead and apply for the conceal pistol license, they also get fingerprinted, they also get a criminal background check done.”

While the process for receiving a conceal carry permit is quite extensive, there is no license needed to openly carry, as long as the gun is registered.

“I’m not a huge fan of the open carry personally, just because lets say I want to go to the grocery store and I walk in there with a pistol on my hip, people are gonna call the cops, people are gonna freak out, it’s just gonna be a nightmare," said Jugan. "If i'm concealing, its under a jacket, its tucked in my waistline, no one knows i have it, no one will know i have it, i'm the only one, no one’s gonna see it, no one’s gonna hear about it.”