Supreme Court to Review Federal Gun Ban on Drug Users
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Federal gun restrictions on drug users protect public safety through historically grounded regulations. This law creates temporary, limited restrictions that individuals can end by stopping illegal drug use. SCOTUS must recognize this as a narrow, constitutionally permissible exception to Second Amendment rights.
Government-critical narrative
This law strips Second Amendment rights based solely on past or ongoing marijuana use, even when individuals are sober. Though the government frames the law as targeting “habitual” users, that term doesn't appear in the statute. This vague ban imposes restrictions without judicial findings of danger, a glaring constitutional overstep SCOTUS must rectify.
Narrative C
This law directly conflicts with state legalization, creating a confusing and contradictory landscape for Second Amendment rights. Unlike alcohol drinkers, who have clear links to gun violence, cannabis users are broadly treated as inherently dangerous, highlighting federal inconsistency and inequity. SCOTUS must resolve this uncertainty for hundreds of prosecutions nationwide.
Metaculus Prediction
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.17.0