Comment on FR Doc # 2026-01141

Marijuana use alone should not disqualify an otherwise law-abiding citizen from possessing firearms. The term “unlawful user” must be narrowly defined to cover only current, habitual drug use that is closely connected in time to firearm possession and demonstrably relevant to public safety. Isolated, past, or state-legal marijuana use does not meet this standard and should not create a presumption of firearm prohibition. Disarming individuals based on marijuana use—without evidence of impairment, misuse of firearms, or criminal conduct—imposes a status-based disability that is inconsistent with constitutional principles and historical firearm regulation. Alcohol, which is legal and far more closely associated with violent and reckless behavior, does not trigger a comparable categorical firearm ban. Existing laws already prohibit firearm possession or use while intoxicated or in furtherance of criminal activity. Those conduct-based restrictions are sufficient. Expanding firearm prohibitions to all marijuana users adds no meaningful public safety benefit while infringing on fundamental rights and creating arbitrary enforcement, particularly in states where marijuana use is lawful. I urge the Department to adopt a clear, narrow definition that ensures marijuana use is not treated as a disqualifying condition for firearm ownership.