Can You Own a Gun if You Have a Medical Marijuana Card in Maryland?

Maryland legalized recreational marijuana in 2023, and medical cannabis has been legal in the state for years. You can walk into a licensed dispensary, purchase cannabis legally under Maryland law, and go about your day. But what happens if you also own a firearm? Or if you have a medical marijuana card and want to purchase your first gun?

That's where things get complicated, because Maryland law and federal law haven't exactly been on the same page. And a recent Supreme Court decision has added another layer to an already confusing issue.

Legal in Maryland Doesn't Necessarily Mean Legal Federally

The first thing to understand is that marijuana's legal status in Maryland doesn't automatically change how it's treated under federal law. Federal law, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3), prohibits people who are unlawful users of or addicted to controlled substances from possessing firearms or ammunition.

For years, that restriction has been applied to marijuana users, even in states where medical or recreational cannabis is legal. This creates a situation that understandably frustrates people. Maryland allows adults to purchase marijuana, but federal firearms laws can still create serious consequences for those same individuals. Having permission from the state to use cannabis doesn't necessarily mean you're protected under federal firearms law.

What About the Supreme Court's Recent Ruling?

Here's where things get interesting. On June 18, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Hemani, a case involving a man who regularly used marijuana and kept a firearm in his home. The federal government prosecuted him under the law prohibiting unlawful drug users from possessing firearms. The Supreme Court ruled that the government couldn't constitutionally apply that prohibition to him based solely on the marijuana use established in his case.

That's an important Second Amendment decision.

The Court rejected the idea that the government could automatically treat regular marijuana use as sufficient justification to disarm someone, relying on historical firearms restrictions that didn't adequately support that position. However, the ruling was limited to the circumstances before the Court. It did not eliminate the federal statute entirely or establish that marijuana use and firearm possession are always legally compatible.

There are still circumstances involving controlled substances and firearms where restrictions may be constitutional. So while this decision represents a significant development for gun owners, it doesn't mean everyone who uses marijuana can now walk into a gun store and purchase a firearm without running into legal issues.

What Happens When You Try to Purchase a Firearm?

Anyone who has purchased a firearm from a federally licensed dealer is probably familiar with ATF Form 4473. The form includes a question asking whether the buyer is an unlawful user of or addicted to marijuana or another controlled substance. It also includes a warning explaining that marijuana remains unlawful under federal law, regardless of whether a state has legalized it.

This is where the distinction between a Supreme Court ruling and the actual firearm purchasing process becomes important. The Hemani decision limits how the government can apply the federal prohibition in certain circumstances. It does not automatically rewrite the questions on Form 4473 or eliminate the requirements dealers must follow.

Providing false information on federal firearm purchasing paperwork can carry serious criminal penalties. If you use medical or recreational cannabis and are considering purchasing a firearm, this is something you need to understand before beginning the transaction.

What Does Maryland Say?

Maryland State Police currently maintains guidance stating that medical cannabis patients and recreational marijuana users are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms under federal law. That guidance has not yet been fully reconciled with the Supreme Court's June decision.

Maryland also has its own firearm eligibility requirements, which means federal court decisions aren't necessarily the end of the discussion. For Maryland residents, the practical issue is that the law is evolving, but the rules governing firearm transactions haven't necessarily caught up. It's important to distinguish between what a court has ruled, what existing statutes say, and what state and federal agencies are currently requiring.

Those aren't always the same thing.

Does Having a Medical Marijuana Card Automatically Mean You Can't Own a Gun?

This is one of the most common questions, and it's also one that deserves a careful answer. There's a difference between being authorized to use medical cannabis, actually using marijuana, and meeting the legal definition of an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Those distinctions matter, particularly after the Supreme Court's decision.

However, Maryland's current firearm purchasing procedures and the state's published guidance still create potential obstacles for medical cannabis patients. Simply having a medical marijuana card doesn't answer every legal question about someone's firearm eligibility, and the Supreme Court's ruling doesn't automatically resolve those questions either.

Anyone dealing with this situation should seek qualified legal advice rather than relying on assumptions about what a medical cannabis card does or doesn't mean.

What If You Give Up Your Medical Marijuana Card?

If having a medical marijuana card creates a problem, can you just give up the card? In Maryland, you can voluntarily cancel your medical cannabis registration. But canceling the card and becoming legally eligible to purchase a firearm aren't necessarily the same thing.

Federal firearms law is concerned with whether someone is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. In other words, the issue isn't simply whether your name appears in Maryland's medical cannabis program. Your actual marijuana use matters too.

So someone who cancels their medical cannabis registration but continues using marijuana hasn't necessarily solved the underlying federal firearms issue. On the other hand, someone who gives up their registration and actually stops using marijuana may eventually be in a very different legal position.

The difficult part is timing. There isn't a simple rule that says, “Cancel your card, wait 30 days, and you're good.” Whether someone qualifies as a current unlawful user can depend on the circumstances, and recent court decisions have made this area of law even more complicated.

That's also why we wouldn't recommend canceling your medical marijuana card on Monday and assuming you can walk into a gun store on Tuesday. If you're giving up medical cannabis specifically because you want to purchase or possess firearms, talk to a Maryland attorney who understands firearms law first.

The important takeaway is that having used medical marijuana in the past does not necessarily mean you're prohibited from owning firearms forever. But simply canceling your card isn't an automatic reset button either.

Where Do Things Go From Here?

The Supreme Court's decision in Hemani is an important development, but it probably won't be the last word on marijuana and gun ownership. We may see additional court challenges, updated federal guidance, or changes to how firearm purchasing requirements are applied.

For now, the biggest takeaway is that Maryland's legalization of marijuana and the federal rules surrounding firearm ownership are still not fully aligned. And while the Supreme Court has provided some important clarification, there are still questions about how those protections apply to different situations.

At The Machine Gun Nest, we believe gun owners should understand the laws that affect their rights. That means paying attention to court decisions, but also being careful not to interpret a favorable ruling as permission to ignore existing purchasing requirements.

We'll continue following developments on this issue and sharing updates as the legal landscape becomes clearer.