Firearms - Right to Purchase, Own, Possess, and Carry
HB 365 would prohibit a person from being denied the right to purchase, own, possess, or carry a firearm solely because the person is authorized to use medical cannabis under Maryland law. The bill adds a new section to the Public Safety Article stating that medical cannabis authorization, by itself, cannot be the sole basis for a firearms denial under that title.
The measure is framed as a firearms-rights bill rather than a cannabis-regulation bill, and it would take effect October 1, 2026. In practical terms, it would limit how state firearms restrictions are applied to medical cannabis patients, while leaving other firearm eligibility rules in place.
HB 365 would amend the Public Safety Article by adding Section 5-901, creating an explicit state-law protection for medical cannabis patients in firearm purchase, ownership, possession, and carry decisions. It would affect state agencies and any entities applying Maryland firearms law by preventing denial based solely on lawful medical cannabis authorization under the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article. The bill does not appear to change federal firearms law, but it would alter how Maryland law treats the intersection of medical cannabis use and firearm rights.
Based on the bill text and available context, the bill appears to have a rights-expansion framing and likely appeals to supporters of both medical cannabis patients and gun rights. There is no recorded committee testimony or vote history in the provided materials, so no formal support or opposition is documented here. The introduction and assignment to the Judiciary Committee suggest it was still in the early review stage at the time of the available record.
The main point of contention is the interaction between state-recognized medical cannabis use and firearm eligibility. Supporters would likely argue that lawful medical cannabis authorization should not automatically strip a person of firearm rights, while opponents may raise public safety concerns or note tension with federal firearms restrictions and existing background-check practices. Because the bill only bars denial 'solely' on the basis of medical cannabis authorization, another possible issue is how agencies and dealers would determine whether other disqualifying factors are present.