New Report Reveals Medical Marijuana’s Role in Hawaiian Gun Permit Rejections
A recent report from Hawaii’s AG reveals that medical cannabis usage is the leading cause of Hawaii gun permits rejections in the state. In 2023, over 40% of the 500 denied applications were due to applicants linked with medical cannabis. Cannabis Mental health issues and domestic violence accounted for smaller portions of the rejections.
Rejection Rates Across Hawaii
Out of 23,528 firearm permit applications processed statewide, only 519 (2.2%) were rejected. Of these, 211 are linked to current or former medical cannabis patients. Different counties had varying rejection rates. Hawaii County, for example, saw a rejection rate of 6.9%, with 57.5% of denials related to medical cannabis.
Policy Changes in Hawaii County
Hawaii County was unique in treating past medical cannabis use as an excluding factor, even for former patients whose permits had expired more than a year ago. However, the county has since revised its policy to match other regions, no longer denying applicants based on past cannabis use.
National Legal Challenges and Policy Shifts
At the federal level, owning a gun while using cannabis remains illegal. Several courts have challenged this rule, citing legal concerns. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to review the matter soon. In addition, states like PA and CO are pushing to change gun restrictions for medical cannabis users.
Growing Gun Ownership and Future Legal Battles
Hawaii has seen a significant rise in firearm filing over the past two decades. With increasing court challenges to federal cannabis laws, the debate over gun rights for cannabis users is expected to intensify. High-profile cases, such as those of Hunter Biden, continue to draw attention to deviations in federal enforcement.
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