The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a split 2-1 verdict, declared the federal prohibition on gun ownership for illegal drug users as unconstitutional in the case of Patrick Daniels from Mississippi, who openly acknowledged using marijuana. The court’s rationale was that the Second Amendment rights of Daniels were infringed upon, as the law failed to differentiate between moderate marijuana users and those grappling with addiction.
This ruling is part of a trend wherein federal courts have been challenging the validity of federal gun laws. Notably, the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision affirmed an individual’s right to carry handguns publicly for self-defense under the Second Amendment. Consequently, Daniels’ verdict could potentially obstruct the government’s ability to enforce federal gun regulations on marijuana users residing in states where its use is legalized.
What sets this ruling apart is its unprecedented nature; it’s the first time a federal appeals court has directly addressed the constitutionality of applying federal gun restrictions to marijuana consumers. This precedent could potentially reverberate across various federal laws restricting gun ownership for illegal drug users more broadly.
However, it’s crucial to understand that this judgment exclusively pertains to the federal gun regulation’s application concerning marijuana. The law’s constraints on gun ownership for those using substances like cocaine and heroin remain unaffected.
