Back in 2017, Honolulu's police chief abandoned a contentious plan to confiscate firearms from residents who use marijuana for medical purposes, which the state has allowed since 2000. But law enforcement agencies still reject applications for the permits required to legally possess guns in Hawaii when the would-be owners have state-issued medical marijuana cards. Last year, according to a recent report from the state attorney general's office, that was by far the most common reason for denying gun permits, accounting for two-fifths of rejections.
Under 18 USC 922(g)(3), it is a felony for any "unlawful user" of a "controlled substance" to receive or possess a firearm. Since the federal government does not recognize any legitimate use of marijuana, that disqualification applies to all cannabis consumers, even in states that allow medical or recreational use. And under Hawaii law, it is a felony to own a gun if you are "prohibited from possessing a firearm" under federal law.
