26 Percent of Marijuana Consumers Say They Are More Likely to Buy a Gun After Supreme Court Struck Down Federal Ban

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WASHINGTON, DC — One in four marijuana consumers say they are more likely to buy a gun now that the Supreme Court has struck down the federal ban on firearm possession by cannabis users, according to a new poll from the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD.

The survey found that 26 percent of marijuana consumers said they are “more likely to purchase a firearm” because of the ruling, as reported by Marijuana Moment. In June I covered the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision striking down the federal gun ban on marijuana users. This poll is a first look at what that decision may mean at the gun counter.

The justices ruled unanimously that the government’s effort to criminalize gun possession by cannabis consumers under Section 922(g)(3) of federal law violates the Second Amendment. The other 74 percent of consumers in the poll said the ruling does not make them more likely to want to buy a gun.

The split by party was wide. Among Republican cannabis consumers, 41 percent said the ruling makes them more likely to buy a gun. Among Democrats, the figure was 26 percent.

NuggMD interviewed 654 cannabis consumers living in state-legal markets from Oct. 8 to 15. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.83 percentage points, meaning the true share could run roughly four points higher or lower than the reported figure.

“One of the most common questions we receive from patients is whether getting a medical card will affect their right to own a firearm,” Tyler Elson, director of content at NuggMD, told Marijuana Moment. “Our latest poll found that 1 in 4 cannabis consumers say the Supreme Court’s ruling makes them more likely to purchase one, which suggests how many people the federal ban was holding back.”

“Much of the celebration has focused on cannabis consumers being able to own firearms,” Elson said. “But the more exciting victory is that gun owners no longer have to choose between their Second Amendment rights and their healthcare needs.”

The ruling is already spreading beyond the original case. Marijuana Moment reports that the Supreme Court has started applying it to other cases involving cannabis consumers prosecuted for possessing firearms. The federal agency that regulates guns says it plans to issue guidance on the ruling. In August, the Department of Justice unveiled a rule meant to help restore gun rights to people barred from possessing firearms. That rule includes provisions blocking officials from denying applications over marijuana use or cannabis-related convictions. Another recent poll found that most Americans support the court’s decision, including majorities across party lines.

More from USA Carry:

• Two Federal Courts, Two Weeks Apart, Split on Whether Silencers Are Protected Arms
• FPC Just Asked the Supreme Court to End Maryland’s Carry Bans, and the List of Banned Places Is Staggering
• Washington’s High Court Says the State Can Take Your Guns Over DUIs, Even If You Never Touched One
• AAG Harmeet Dhillon: Supreme Court Will Eventually Rule AR-15s Are Legal for All Law-Abiding Americans
• Supreme Court Unanimously Strikes Down Federal Gun Ban on Marijuana Users

If you are in that 26 percent, the purchase is the easy part. Training and the right mindset are what make a firearm useful for self-defense, so budget time for both. If you plan to carry, start with your state’s concealed carry permit requirements.

I will continue tracking the federal guidance and how courts apply the ruling.

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