06/18/2026
In a 9-0 ruling in United States v. Hemani, the Supreme Court decided that the federal government violates the Second Amendment when it applies a blanket ban on firearm ownership to regular ma*****na users without showing they pose a specific danger.
Key Details of the Hemani Decision
The Ruling: The Court unanimously sided with a Texas man who regularly smoked ma*****na but was not accused of a violent crime or carrying the weapon while intoxicated.
The Test: Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the Court, stated the government's arguments failed to align with the historical tradition of firearm regulation, a framework the Court established in its 2022 Bruen ruling.
What Remains in Effect: The decision was kept narrow. The Court emphasized that it did not invalidate the ban on proven drug addicts possessing weapons, nor did it bar Congress from creating more tailored laws if specific drugs pose heightened risks.
Broader Second Amendment Precedents
Modern Supreme Court jurisprudence fundamentally reshaped how gun laws are evaluated:
Historical Test (NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022)): The Court ruled that restrictions on carrying guns in public must be consistent with the nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation.
Domestic Violence (U.S. v. Rahimi (2024)): The Court ruled that disarming individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders is constitutional because historical precedents allow disarming people who pose clear threats of physical violence.
Individual Right (District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)): The Court established that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess a firearm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.
You can track additional ongoing Second Amendment dockets and rulings directly on the Supreme Court of the United States opinions page.
(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)Updated at 1:15 p.m. EDTThe Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in United States v. Hemani that the federal government cannot prosecute a Texas man on charges that he violated a federal law barring users of illegal drugs from having a gun. In an opinion by Justice Neil Gorsuc...
