The Supreme Court sides with a Texas marijuana user who says owning a gun is not a crime

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with a Texas marijuana user who wants to legally own a gun, the latest in a string of firearms cases from the court that have expanded gun rights.

The justices sided with Ali Daniel Himani, who said the law prohibiting anyone who illegally uses drugs from carrying weapons violates the Second Amendment. Himani was not charged with any other crimes or using a weapon while under the influence.

He listens: The Supreme Court is considering whether marijuana and other drug users may possess firearms

The decision represents a loss for President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, which defended the 1968 law despite its opposition to other gun restrictions. The measure was also used in a case against Hunter Biden, who was convicted in Wilmington, Delaware, of purchasing a gun while addicted to cocaine in 2018. He was pardoned by his father, then-Democratic President Joe Biden.

The opinion is the latest in a series of firearms cases that have reached the Supreme Court since a landmark ruling expanding gun rights in 2022 sparked a wave of challenges across the country.

Since then, the Supreme Court has upheld a law intended to protect victims of domestic violence and strict regulations on ghost gun kits, but struck down a ban on gun stocks, an accessory that enables rapid-fire shooting. The justices have heard two firearms cases this term alone.

Meanwhile, the legality and use of cannabis has changed dramatically in recent years. More than half of US states have now widely legalized it, and it has gained widespread use for health purposes.

However, recreational use remains illegal at the federal level, even after the Trump administration reclassified medical marijuana as a less dangerous drug in April.

It is rare to see independent criminal charges filed against people accused of gun possession and drug use. The charge is often brought against people who are also accused of other crimes.

The issue presented some unusual political alliances. The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Rifle Association supported Hemani’s cause, as did cannabis legalization groups like NORML. On the other side were gun safety groups like Everytown that typically oppose the Trump administration on Second Amendment issues.