Comment on FR Doc # 2026-01141
Ryan CialoneSupportIndividual
Summary: The commenter supports the revised definition because it distinguishes between one-time drug users and those with chronic addictions. They argue that data shows addicts are significantly more likely to be involved in gun violence, and the revision helps preserve gun rights for the majority while targeting high-risk individuals.
I agree with this new revised definition. I believe that it is very important that a distinction be made between users of an controlled substance and those who are addicted to it. Even though one may have used a controlled substance illegally in the past, that does not make them the same as someone who is chronically addicted to a substance that they take and possess by illegal means. I mean this in that if the goal of this policy is to keep guns out of the hands of those who may be erratic drug seekers and may resort to violence to fulfill their addictions. As it is not fair to those who may have used an illegal drug once and then gotten caught to be conflated with someone who is struggling with an addiction in a way that may lead them to criminal behaviors to satisfy it. In the PDF study, "Association Between Substance Use and Gun-Related Behaviors" I attached to this comment, studies have shown that there is indeed a positive correlation between those taking harder and prohibited substances and the gun violence that they commit. But for a very long time, this kind of data was skewed due to the lumping in with single-conviction one-time users and addicts. According to the second study in the PDF I attached called "Loaded: Gun Involvement Among Opioid Users" and a Boston University article called "Opioid Addiction Associated with More Gun Involvement" addicts of opioids are 12 times more likely to carry a gun compared to someone addicted to alcohol, they are also 7 times more likely to be involved in a violent gun altercation, and 6 times more likely to have gun-related arrests. What we can understand from this is that addicts of prohibited substances are much more likely to be involved with gun violence and illegal activities with guns than one-time or sporadic users or people addicted to less harsh substances. This is most likely due to the compulsion that addiction to stronger substances cause pushing them to extreme behaviors and the criminal world these addicts have to enter to satisfy their addictions. What this means is that the revising of the definition is needed to not conflate addicts more likely to commit gun crimes with those who are not, but may have taken illegal substances in the past, as to preserve gun rights for the largest number of people while keeping them away from the more dangerous hands.