ATF Reminds People It’s Illegal to Smoke Marijuana and Own Guns

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has issued a fresh warning to Minnesota gun owners: refrain from weed use while owning guns. This cautionary notice arrives after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill legalizing recreational marijuana in the state on Tuesday.

In its announcement, the ATF, referencing the Gun Control Act of 1968, underscored that marijuana is federally classified as a controlled substance. Consequently, even in states where it's legal, users are federally considered "unlawful users" and are prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition.

"Until marijuana is federally legalized, firearm owners and possessors need to understand that mixing marijuana with firearms and ammunition remains federally illegal," stated Jeff Reed, ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge.

When purchasing or transferring firearms, the ATF requires individuals to disclose if they are "an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance," as per ATF Form 4473.

Reed noted that the bureau thought it "crucial" to delineate the laws pertaining to marijuana use and firearm regulation for Minnesota residents in light of the recent changes to marijuana laws.

Federal law restricts even medical marijuana users from owning or operating firearms, akin to recreational users. Marijuana is federally listed as a Schedule I controlled substance and lacks a federally accepted medical use, despite the fact that 38 states have legalized medical marijuana.

Minnesota joined the ranks of 22 other states when it legalized recreational marijuana this week. The ATF first sent out a letter to firearm licensees in 2011, advising them about the legal interplay between marijuana and gun ownership, when Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational use.