A new memo from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says it is illegal for him or any registered medical-marijuana patient to own or possess firearms or ammunition, reports USA Today. Last week’s letter from the ATF’s Arthur Herbert gave federal firearms licensees guidance on what to do if a firearms customer reveals that he or she is a medical-marijuana patient.
Jon Svaren, a 15-year Navy veteran who was honorably discharged in 2009, is a medical-marijuana patient who is recovering from a surgery last November to repair a severe injury to his back. Svaren is also a gun owner who hunts and uses guns on the farm to control vermin. “To take away my Second Amendment rights is contrary to everything I’ve ever fought for and contrary to every oath of enlistment I’ve taken,” Svaren said. “Marijuana is a lightning-rod subject,” said Dave Workman of the newspaper Gun Week. “The media — and the gun prohibitionist lobby in particular — would say the gun lobby wants to arm drug addicts.”