That said, there have been a handful of cases over the past decade that speak to the issue. And before delving into them, it’s useful to remember the ATF open letter sent to all federal firearms licensees in September 2011.
Tom Firestone noted in a January 2020 post to the Global Cannabis Compliance Blog that a review of DOJ cases brought since the Sessions Memo largely adhered to the Obama administration’s enforcement priorities. [3]
Riding this wave of public sentiment, legislators in several legal-cannabis states have introduced bills that would enact state-level protection of users’ Second Amendment rights. Cannabis advocate Kim Petters teamed up with then-Delaware State Sen.
On the national scene, U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) introduced the Second Amendment Protection Act in April 2019. The legislation, if passed, would amend federal law so that people using cannabis for medical purposes in compliance with state policies would be exempt from firearms and ammunition prohibitions.
As for Petters, life goes on for the Delaware mother of four. She still has no medical marijuana card, and she has yet to complete the paperwork for her concealed carry permit (something she resolves to quit putting off). Not wanting to break the law, she’s going unarmed in the meantime.
Dorsey Kindler writes enterprise series for Concealed Carry Magazine. He's covered tough topics for gun owners, including the legal use of marijuana and self-defense for truck drivers.