WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court announced it will examine if people who regularly smoke marijuana can legally own guns, adding to the ongoing discussion surrounding gun rights in the United States. This case emerges following the court’s 2022 decision that broadened gun rights.
A case involving a Texas man, Ali Danial Hemani, caught the government’s attention when he faced felony charges for possessing a firearm while being a known marijuana user. The Justice Department is appealing a lower court’s ruling that deemed the law prohibiting illegal drug users from owning guns unconstitutional.
Historically, the government has maintained that individuals who use illegal drugs pose a public safety risk. This has become increasingly complex as a growing number of states legalize marijuana while it remains prohibited at the federal level. The Department of Justice argues that regular drug users should not have the same gun ownership rights as the general public.
The case could set a significant precedent for how firearm restrictions are enforced, particularly in light of recent rulings which mandate that evidence grounding such restrictions must be deeply rooted in American history.
The arguments in this case are anticipated to take place in early 2026, with a decision likely to be released by the summer.
