U.S. Supreme Court narrows gun ban for marijuana users in landmark ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion that limits the federal government’s ability to disarm individuals who regularly use marijuana. Written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, the decision held that the government had not demonstrated a specific danger posed by such individuals, rendering the prosecution under the 1968 Gun Control Act incompatible with the Second Amendment.

The case centered on Ali Hemani, a dual U.S.–Pakistani citizen from Texas who was found with a 9‑mm Glock pistol and about 60 grams of marijuana after an FBI search. Hemani faced up to 15 years in prison for illegal gun possession under the federal law, which penalizes “any person who uses any controlled substance” from possessing firearms. The Court’s ruling does not address whether intoxicated individuals may carry weapons, only that past marijuana use alone is insufficient for a conviction. The decision follows an earlier Fifth Circuit ruling in Hemani’s favor and is limited in scope, leaving open the possibility for Congress to enact other preventive measures.

Advocacy groups on both gun‑rights and cannabis‑legalization fronts welcomed the ruling, which underscores the Court’s current focus on historical interpretation of the Second Amendment amid changing state marijuana laws.