Supreme Court sides with marijuana user who wants to legally own a gun
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a federal law banning gun ownership by marijuana users violates the Second Amendment, siding with Texas resident Ali Danial Hemani who challenged the law.
- Justice Neil Gorsuch emphasized that the ruling narrowly limits government power to confiscate guns from drug users not deemed dangerous, allowing prosecution only if evidence shows the individual is a threat.
- The decision marks a setback for the Trump administration, which defended the 1968 law, with Gorsuch noting the widespread legal and medical use of marijuana undermines the assumption that users are categorically dangerous.
- The ruling drew unusual political support, including from the ACLU, NRA, and cannabis legalization groups, while some gun safety advocates and marijuana opponents criticized the decision on public safety grounds.
- This case is part of a broader Supreme Court trend expanding gun rights, following a 2022 landmark ruling and recent decisions on related firearm regulations.
