Pa. residents facing ultimatum of gun ownership or medical marijuana

Gun owners are facing a tough choice when it comes to medical marijuana in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania begins its medical marijuana program in 2018, but in order to obtain the license for the drug, you cannot own a gun.

It is the ultimatum residents are struggling with – medical marijuana or gun ownership.

One resident told Channel 11 it just doesn’t make any sense to make people choose between the two.

Twenty-nine states have legalized marijuana in some form. Pennsylvania legalized it for medicinal use almost two years ago, but under federal law it is still banned.

TRENDING NOW:

• Dangerous wind chills to start the new year
• Meet Pittsburgh's first babies of 2018
• Steelers 2018 regular season opponents announced
• VIDEO: New laws in 2018 will require citizens to adjust

Andrew Sacks, a Pa. attorney, said he has already received phone calls from people who say they have been denied a gun because they are on the medical marijuana patient registry.

Sacks believes something has to change. He said it is “ridiculous” that those with prescriptions for opiates can buy a gun, but those with a “very low amount of THC in their medical marijuana” cannot.

“I’m hoping that there's litigation that will reach a higher level than the 9th circuit and this can be looked at because it is unconstitutional," said Sacks.

In order to overturn the current ultimatum, Sacks believes that the case will have to go to the U.S. Supreme Court. If it is upheld there, Sacks said the ruling could change the entire scheduling process.

Cox Media Group