Comment on FR Doc # 2026-01141
Anonymous AnonymousSupportIndividual
Summary: The commenter supports the ATF's proposal to require evidence of ongoing drug use rather than a single past incident to define an unlawful user. However, they argue that the underlying premise is still flawed and that rights should only be restricted based on dangerous conduct rather than status as a drug user.
I appreciate that the ATF is attempting to correct a standard that has resulted in many Americans being wrongly denied their Second Amendment rights. Requiring evidence of ongoing drug use instead of a single past incident is an improvement.
However, the underlying premise remains flawed. The mere status of being a “user” of a substance should not automatically strip a person of a constitutional right. Just like alcohol or prescription medication, the issue should only arise when someone is committing a crime or demonstrably acting in a dangerous manner.
The Second Amendment is a fundamental right, and restrictions based solely on status rather than conduct are not consistent with the historical tradition of the Second Amendment as articulated in recent Supreme Court decisions.