Supreme Court to Review Gun Ownership Ban for Drug Users

The Supreme Court has decided to look into whether it is constitutional to prevent individuals who use illegal drugs from owning firearms.

Previously, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that a federal law banning gun possession by “illegal users or addicts of controlled substances” largely infringes on rights under the Second Amendment.

In June, the Trump administration’s Department of Justice sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to overturn that ruling and maintain the law. Attorney General John Sauer argued that the law imposes a “limited and essentially temporary restriction,” specifying that it only applies to chronic users of illegal drugs. He noted that individuals can easily lift this ban by stopping their drug use. Sauer likened this regulation to stricter historical regulations aimed at habitual drinkers, suggesting it aligns with the nation’s regulatory history and traditions.

This legal matter emerged from a challenge by Ali Danial Heman, who disputed charges for possessing a firearm while being a habitual marijuana user.

Heman, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Pakistan, is known for his drug use and distribution. His activities first came to the FBI’s notice in 2019 when a search of his cellphone revealed evidence of alleged fraudulent plans linked to someone believed to be associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

Moreover, the government highlighted that “at least 32 states and territories have similar laws restricting firearm possession for drug users and addicts.”