The U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled against a federal law that mandates individuals must be at least 21 years old to purchase firearms. The law has been deemed a violation of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.
This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing NBC News.
The decision made by a panel of three judges in New Orleans comes amidst significant changes in firearm regulations following a landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that expanded gun ownership rights in 2022.
The court determined that individuals aged 18 to 20 should not be prohibited from buying guns.
"Ultimately, the text of the Second Amendment includes eighteen to twenty-year-olds as part of 'the people' whose right to keep and bear arms is protected," the court's decision stated.
Previously, the appellate court upheld age restrictions. However, following the Supreme Court's ruling, which indicated that firearm restrictions should be based on the country's historical traditions, judges in states like Minnesota, Virginia, and Texas have overturned similar laws.
NBC reports that the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden fought against these decisions. However, it remains unclear how the administration of the new president Donald Trump will respond. The publication noted that during last year's campaign, he told the audience of the National Rifle Association that "no one will lay a finger on your firearms."
NBC also reminded that the U.S. Supreme Court decided last year to uphold the federal gun law. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, this law requires individuals to be 21 years old to purchase a handgun from a licensed firearms dealer, and 18 years old to buy long guns from a dealer.
Among those challenging the ban were the Firearms Policy Coalition, the Second Amendment Foundation, and the Louisiana Shooting Association.
"If we can trust young people to defend our country, we can certainly trust them to possess any and all lawful firearms," said Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation.
It is worth noting that in early January 2025, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic of Montenegro announced that an outright ban on carrying firearms in the country will be considered.
His statement followed an incident on January 1, when a man opened fire in a bar and then started shooting at pedestrians on the street in the city center of Cetinje. The incident resulted in 12 fatalities and additional injuries.