The post Pennsylvania Removes Medical Marijuana Users From Police Computers appeared first on High Times.
A controversial part of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program just became more difficult to enforce. Under the state’s medical use law, passed in 2016, registered patients lose their gun rights once enrolled in the program. But if Pennsylvania removes medical marijuana users from police computers, determining who should and who shouldn’t have a gun gets harder. Yet the question remains. Will the move help restore medical cannabis patients gun rights?
Do Medical Marijuana Patients Lose Their Gun Rights?
Many people would chafe at the idea of their private health data ending up on some kind of government database. But in many states with medical marijuana programs, patients do have to register with the state.
From there, the state can make those lists available to various government agencies, including law enforcement. And that brings us to an oft-forgot consequence of becoming a legal medical cannabis patient.
If you’re a legal cannabis user, you’ve effectively surrendered your right to bear arms. The Second Amendment is a right guaranteed by the federal government, which considers cannabis use a serious crime.
For Uncle Sam, being a cannabis user prohibits you from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. And it doesn’t matter whether your cannabis use is medical or recreational.
If a federally-licensed firearms dealer becomes aware of your cannabis use, the government mandates that they refuse to sell you a weapon or ammunition.
Obviously, if your name is on an official list of registered, legal cannabis users, it’s very easy for gun retailers or law enforcement to flag you.
And this isn’t just a hypothetical possibility. In Hawaii,