You can now carry a switchblade legally as Massachusetts rules ban violates 2nd Amendment

It's now legal to carry switchblades in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that a ban on carrying a switchblade knife violated the right to bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment, striking down a 1957 state law that forbade the carrying spring-release knives.

Justice Serge Georges Jr. wrote the opinion for the unanimous decision over the case, citing the Supreme Court's decision in the 2022 case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.

"[W]e conclude switchblades are not "dangerous and unusual" weapons falling outside the protection of the Second Amendment," Georges Jr. wrote. "In the most basic sense, all weapons are "dangerous" because they are designed for the purpose of bodily assault or defense."

There are also no federal restrictions around the purchase, ownership or carrying of a switchblade; Massachusetts was one of the seven states that banned switchblade carrying.

Can I carry a switchblade in Massachusetts?

A person can now carry a switchblade legally in Massachusetts as of Aug. 27, 2024, when the court struck down the 67-year-old law that banned the practice.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell released a statement about the ruling, condemning the decision for its lack of foresight toward the danger switchblades represent.

"This case demonstrates the difficult position that SCOTUS has put our state courts in with the Bruen decision & today's result is disappointing," the statement said. "Switchblades are dangerous weapons. Prohibiting people from carrying them was a commonsense safety measure."

Her statement also included a vow from Campbell's office to continue working in the State House to make sure that Commonwealth laws keep people safe.

When the Suffolk District Attorney's Office, who prosecuted the defendant in the case, David E. Canjura, was reached for comment on the ruling, the office deferred to the filings of the case.

Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: You can now carry a switchblade legally as Massachusetts rules ban violates 2nd Amendment