In a unanimous ruling that could reshape America's gun control landscape, the US Supreme Court has struck down a federal law prohibiting unlawful drug users from possessing firearms.
The landmark 9-0 decision represents the latest expansion of gun rights following the court's major ruling two years ago that established a new constitutional test for firearm restrictions.
Historical Context Overturned
The case centred on a 1994 federal statute that made it illegal for individuals who use controlled substances to own guns. The law had stood for three decades until challenged by a Mississippi woman who admitted to smoking marijuana while simultaneously owning firearms.
Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the court, declared that the government "may not simply posit that the regulation promotes an important interest" but must demonstrate that such restrictions are "consistent with this Nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation."
A New Legal Standard Emerges
This ruling marks the second significant victory for gun rights advocates in recent years. In 2022, the court established that gun laws must align with American historical traditions regarding firearm regulation, creating a much higher barrier for gun control measures to survive legal challenges.
The Biden administration had defended the drug user ban, arguing that disarming individuals who misuse drugs or have substance abuse issues remains consistent with historical traditions of preventing firearm possession by "unvirtuous" citizens.
Dissenting Concerns
While all justices agreed on overturning the specific ban, Justice Samuel Alito penned a concurring opinion joined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, emphasising that states remain free to prevent dangerous individuals from obtaining guns.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, in her separate opinion, expressed concern that the court's historical approach might be "leading us to a place where isolation from reality is the new normal."
The ruling sends the case back to lower courts and leaves Congress searching for new approaches to firearm regulation that can withstand the court's stringent historical test.
