Cannabis, Guns, Kentucky & 2nd Amendment, Meet The ATF: If You Say ‘Yes’ To Medical Marijuana, The Answer To Owning A Gun Is ‘No’
As Kentucky prepares to roll out its medical cannabis program on Jan. 1, 2025, the already complex issue of gun sales and weed will likely get even more complex due to federal regulations that prohibit marijuana consumers from possessing firearms.
Under federal law, as long as cannabis is classified as a Schedule I substance, which could change if/when President Biden’s call to move marijuana to a Schedule III classification is carried out, these complexities involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will persist.
ATF Paperwork Is Complicated
The ATF form required for buying a gun includes a question that specifically asks if the buyer is an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana, among other controlled substances. Even if marijuana use is legal on a state level, answering yes to any part of that question can disqualify the individual from being able to buy a firearm.
Gun dealers also have forms to fill out. One Kentucky gun shop owner anticipates new challenges when filling out the ATF Form 4473, the mandatory process for all firearm transactions.
Aaron Reed, owner of Ops Supply, …