You shouldn’t have to waive your Second Amendment right to be a medical marijuana patient.
I first wrote about medical marijuana and the Second Amendment on January 11, 2010. I wrote ‘Over the weekend, a friend asked me if his concealed weapons permit would make him ineligible for a medical marijuana card. The answer is…it depends on what county of Oregon you live in. Apparently, a unique phenomenon is occurring in certain areas of Oregon; County Sheriffs are denying concealed weapons permits if the applicant is a medical marijuana cardholder (see attached story). In Washington County and Jackson County, the Sheriff’s offices took it upon themselves to revoke concealed weapons permits if they found out the applicant was a member of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP). In the case of Steven Schwerdt, he had a concealed weapon permit for six years, until Washington County revoked his license due to his new enrollment in OMMP. It doesn’t appear that this is happening anywhere else in the nation, except these two counties in Oregon.’
My how things have changed since then! Medical marijuana and gun rights has become a national issue. Luckily for Oregon residents, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled in favor of medical marijuana patients in May 2011. However, things are even more complicated then that as seen by the video below. I included the narrative from YouTube to give context:
Marijuana Policy Project Director of Government Relations Steve Fox appears on Fox & Friends to debate former Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) Director Mike Sullivan. On September 21, 2011, the ATF issued a memo to all federally licensed firearms dealers telling them that it was a violation of federal law to sell guns or ammunition to anyone that uses marijuana to relieve an illness, even if they are obeying state medical marijuana laws. The ATF considers medical marijuana patients to be abusing or addicted to marijuana, and therefore subject to the Federal Firearms Act, while people that use other prescription drugs or alcohol are still permitted to purchase firearms.
