From the Miami Herald:
HELENA, Mont. — Firearms dealers in states that allow medical marijuana can’t sell guns or ammunition to registered users of the drug, a policy that marijuana and gun-rights groups say denies Second Amendment rights to individuals who are following state law.
Federal law already makes it illegal for someone to possess a gun if he or she is “an unlawful user of, or addicted to” marijuana or other controlled substances. A Sept. 21 letter from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, issued in response to numerous inquiries from gun dealers, clarifies that medical marijuana patients are included in that definition.
“There are no exceptions in federal law for marijuana purportedly used for medicinal purposes, even if such use is sanctioned by state law,” said the letter by Arthur Herbert, the ATF’s assistant director for enforcement programs and services.
Guns rights enthusiasts should be hopping mad over this ruling. Do people who use alcohol give up their gun rights? How about people on strong pain medication? This seems like people using medical marijuana are going asked to give up a great deal of personal safety. This ruling, like many, simply encourage lying and dishonesty.
How soon before public squawking gets this ruling overturned? I give it 2 weeks. Arthur Herbert isn’t going to even want his job when the NRA gets through with him.
