A German hunter’s appeal for the reinstatement of his gun ownership card and hunting license despite being a long-term medical marijuana user was dismissed by a Bavarian court Wednesday.
According to the judge, gun owners must be capable of cautiously handling weapons and ammunition at all times. Cannabis consumption, even if prescribed by a doctor, would impair a person’s ability to properly handle a weapon, the judge said.
The ruling sets a precedent that will likely force Germans to choose between receiving medicinal cannabis treatment and owning a gun license.
The district administration in Miesbach, which first revoked the plaintiff’s gun and hunting license, said in a statement that it had followed expert opinion that says the mental well-being of a person who regularly consumes cannabis cannot be guaranteed.
The hunter admitted to smoking cannabis several times.
In March 2017, the German government decriminalized the use of prescription cannabis as a form of medical treatment.
