https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/gun-owners-legalized-marijuana/
@Dawn I would imagine that since marijuana legalization is happening at the state level that like alcohol use it will be applied differently by state. It is behind, but I won’t be surprised to see it catch up. That said, shouldn’t we treat it the same way in our own decision making regardless of the law? I imagine prosecutors will use one’s use of marijuana to determine the state of mind of a person just like they will use alcohol use. Just my two cents.
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I don’t use any drugs or alcohol and I absolutely do not condone mixing either of those with firearms and i definitely do not condone driving under the influence.
Now i understand Medical Marijuana, before I ever purchased my first firearm I used it for a back injury until I recovered, a friend of mine uses it for chronic back pain (he has degenerating discs in his back, gets an IV treatment once a month and uses M.M. in between as needed.) I’ve seen it work and i fully support it’s use. But again, I don’t condone mixing any drugs and driving/firearms/heavy equipment/etc.
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I’m leaning the same way you and @MarkBrent are, @Spence. Anything that alters our ability to think and react isn’t a great mix with firearms.
When I know I’m going to have a cocktail, I won’t carry. If I am carrying and someone offers me an adult beverage, I’ll turn it down in favor of an ice tea or the like. I need to have my mind clear if I’m going to have a firearm on me.
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I put this in the same boat as alcohol and prescriptions, like vicodin. If I cant pass a drug test (or show a perscription) I dont carry. Pretty simple, Failing a drug test would be bad when trying to prove reasonableness.
I wonder more about anti-depressants. When I was a young buck and they were pushing ADD meds on me, they always prescribed an anti-depresent to go along with the medication. They made valid points about why, at least to a 16 year old.
When they pull blood after an incident, what do anti-depressants do to my reasonableness? (If I were on them, theoretical)
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I for one don’t use drugs unless they are prescriptions. And if I’m going some place that sells alcohol and I’m carrying I DON’T DRINK. And in AZ where I live it is Ok to carry in bars or places that sells alcohol. but if you’re carrying it is not allowed to drink it. I normally don’t drink when I’m out. And that is because I’m the designated driver. So I don’t drink. I also have a friend that does use Medical Marijuana. And he uses it for back pain. And he does shoot in competitions. But he doesn’t use if he’s going to be competing for a few weeks he says. but he’s been in pain most of the time lately and I think that he has stopped competing because of the pain that he’s in now most of the time.
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Until it is removed as a Schedule 1 drug, regardless of what states pass for laws concerning it don’t matter. As a former healthcare professional and as a cancer survivor, we would be remiss to not understand the value in it as medicine. It should have never been placed on the Scheduled drug list in the first place and old money politicians that still harbor the “Reefer Madness” fears keep it there because they do not want to admit that they are wrong as well as the fact that they have their hands so deep in big pharma’s pockets they will never remove it unless it takes a Supreme Court action.
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@Brian1. I am on anti depressants for stomach problems. Your intestines have the same receptors as your brain. But my doctor knows I carry and she has is written in my chart why I am on the anti depressant for that very reason.
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I think it’s important to understand the context of the article. If you use marijuana for any reason, you become a prohibited person federally in regards to firearms. Naturally you would have to be arrested for some offense with it, but if you are, you could very well lose your your right to own or possess a firearm. When they legalized it here in MA, GOAL sent out a friendly reminder to that extent.
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As a frequent viewer of Live PD, I highly don’t recommend the marijuana, firearm, and car combination. But seriously, I understand that people need to medicate for whatever reason, however, any mind altering substance while carrying a firearm isn’t a good combination to me.
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I can’t see a good reason to carry and either drink or take any mind-altering perception-altering reflex/response-time altering drug. That being said, CBD is none of those thing and I wouldn’t have an issue with using it while carrying. Except, of course, that your’e still violating federal law, so that makes it a non-starter.
If they ever get their federal act together on legalizing the use of CBD, that might put it on the option list for me, but the regular THC-bearing pot, just like alcohol, would still get a big fat NO from me, even if it were federally legal.
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My issue is the mind-altering substances. Even certain prescription pain medicine affects your reactions and perceptions to the point you shouldn’t carry - IMO.
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In Maine, getting a medical Marijuana card automatically gets your CC permit pulled, although Maine is now a constitutional carry state you don’t need a permit I have to keep one for reciprocity purposes when I travel. I was injured in an accident when off duty so I wasn’t eligible for a retired or disabled retired law enforcement ID carry permit.
Bottom line in Maine marijuana and guns don’t mix.
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Same for me in Missouri.
Are you retired LEO? That just seems wrong about the retirement reason making you not eligible.
wonder why they did that?
And welcome to the group!
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Thank you for your service to your community, @Daniel4 and welcome to the USCCA Online Community!
I’m with @Zee, it seems wrong. But I understand how difficult and frustrating the red tape can be. 
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Pot and guns mix about as well as alcohol and driving. In my humble opinion the pot surge is nothing more than the left’s attempt to buy votes and to ultimately destroy America. On the other hand, if they are to high to get to the polls it could backfire.
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Unfortunately I have seen pot, whether illegal or medical do some serious damage when firearms have come into play or vice versa. It’s a very fine line sometimes when it comes to medical. But In my opinion , if you own a firearm or medical card, you should not be allowed to mix one with the other.
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I just remembered something from the Citizens Police Academy when I took the class in 2017.
They had the County joint drug task force come in. In MN you are more likely to be shot over a drug deal involving marijuana than for any other reason.
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A marijuana drug deal? Really?? Wow. For some reason that surprises me. I’d think it would be over harder drugs than pot.
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In Indiana if your carry: State of Indiana License to Carry Handgun Permit and you have Marijuana on you are have smoke it, your license will be revocation for felony arrest of Marijuana. And the firearm, kiss it good- by. And your going to jail. I was watching Live PD on TV 6-19-2019 and that is what happy to a man in Indiana.
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