Cannabis Users Cannot Be Barred From Gun Ownership, U.S. Appeals Court Rules
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that a cannabis user in Texas cannot be legally prohibited from owning firearms, clarifying that past drug use does not strip individuals of their Second Amendment rights.
The court’s decision stemmed from the case of Texas resident Paola Connelly, who faced legal charges in December 2021 after police found several firearms in her home, according to Reuters. The ruling asserts that disarming Connelly based on her past marijuana use violates her Second Amendment rights, a stance backed by a 2022 Supreme Court decision that broadened gun ownership protections.
“Marijuana user or not, Paola is a …