Supreme Court backs marijuana user in gun ownership case

In a unanimous decision on Thursday, the United States Supreme Court sided with a Texas man, Ali Danial Hemani, who challenged a federal law that prohibits illegal drug users from owning firearms. Hemani argued that the law violates the Second Amendment, which protects the right to bear arms.

Hemani was not accused of committing any other crimes or of using a firearm while under the influence of drugs. The ruling represents a setback for the Republican administration of former President Donald Trump, which had defended the 1968 law restricting gun ownership for illegal drug users. This same statute was cited in the 2018 case against Hunter Biden, who was convicted of purchasing a firearm while addicted to cocaine. Biden was later pardoned by his father, then-President Joe Biden.

The decision comes as the Supreme Court continues to address significant firearm-related cases following its landmark 2022 ruling that expanded gun rights. That decision has led to a wave of legal challenges nationwide. Since then, the court has upheld laws protecting domestic violence victims and regulating ghost gun kits, while striking down a ban on bump stocks.

This term alone, the justices have already reviewed two firearm-related cases, signaling the ongoing national debate over gun rights and regulations.