U.S. Supreme Court narrows gun ban for medical cannabis users

On June 18, 2026, the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in United States v. Hemani, holding that the federal prohibition on firearm possession by “unlawful users” of controlled substances cannot be applied on the basis of marijuana use alone without an individualized showing of danger. The Court found that Section 922(g)(3) as applied to Ali Hemani, a Texas resident who used cannabis several times a week and possessed a pistol, violated his Second Amendment rights because the government offered no historical justification for a categorical ban.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that the decision is narrow, preserving Congress’s ability to enact tailored regulations and leaving open prosecutions where specific evidence demonstrates that drug use makes a person dangerous. The ruling does not repeal the statute itself and does not affect cases involving false statements on firearm purchase forms.

Legal analysts note that the decision could enable challenges to existing convictions, such as that of Alexander Ledvina, an Iowa inmate sentenced to four years for gun possession after frequent cannabis use. Ledvina’s release date was set for July 15, and the ruling may allow him to seek overturning of his felony record.