Colorado Governor Jared Polis just threw a curveball into the state’s gun control drama, publicly breaking ranks with Attorney General Phil Weiser on whether marijuana users should be stripped of their Second Amendment rights. While Weiser is doubling down on federal prohibitions—echoing the ATF’s recent Rule 2021R-05P that classifies pot users as prohibited persons under the Gun Control Act of 1968—Polis is calling it a bridge too far. In a statement that’s music to 2A ears, the governor argued that Colorado’s legalization of recreational marijuana in 2012 means adults shouldn’t face felony risks for exercising their constitutional right to bear arms. This isn’t just rhetoric; Polis, a former tech entrepreneur with a libertarian streak, is signaling he’d back legislation to shield compliant cannabis users from federal overreach, potentially setting up a state-federal showdown.
The context here is gold for gun rights advocates. Colorado has been a battleground: universal background checks, red flag laws, and assault weapon bans under Democrats, yet Polis vetoed the strictest measures last session, earning quiet nods from the NRA. Weiser’s stance aligns with Biden-era ATF moves that have already led to lawsuits like *United States v. Rahimi* ripple effects and challenges from states like Missouri. But Polis’s push highlights a growing fracture in blue-state politics—where cannabis reform (now federally softened via rescheduling) clashes with gun control orthodoxy. It’s clever realpolitik: Polis knows pot possession arrests disproportionately hit minorities and libertarians, and tying that to 2A could flip voter scripts in swing districts.
Implications for the 2A community? Huge. If Colorado carves out protections, it could inspire red and purple states to nullify ATF rules, fueling a wave of litigation via the Supreme Court’s *Bruen* test demanding historical analogs for restrictions. Expect copycat bills in Nevada, Illinois, and beyond, weakening the drug user = no guns narrative nationwide. This rift exposes Dem infighting, giving pro-2A warriors ammo to peel off moderates. Watch for federal backlash, but for now, Polis is handing the community a rare win in enemy territory—proof that sanity can prevail even in Boulder. Stay vigilant; this could be the crack that shatters the prohibitionist dam.
