Anti-depression Meds and background checks?

[fritz1255]

Hypothetical question here. Firearms owner has occasional bouts of depression, decides to see a doctor, who prescribes medication. Does this mean that he will fail future background checks because of psychological issues?

[father-of-five]

No

[Yoder]

Not yet but totally possible in the future. It's going to keep good people from getting help unfortunately.

[bogey1]

I'm on them and its none of their business. If the question ever makes the application, I'll just lie.

[fritz1255]

Okay, so medication for mild depression apparently does not fall under the "adjudicated mental health" category of prohibited person's? I have also heard that having a medical marijuana card will cause you to fail a background check. Don't know if that's true or not. I guess then you would be a user of a "controlled substance"?

[Gman106]

Your medical history and your patient-doctor relationship are theoretically private...unless the government decides it's not, like with the Covid vax or your care is through the military or VA...or maybe even Medicare since your doc has to submit claims to the government for payment.

[Didnotcomply89]

Okay, so medication for mild depression apparently does not fall under the "adjudicated mental health" category of prohibited person's? I have also heard that having a medical marijuana card will cause you to fail a background check. Don't know if that's true or not. I guess then you would be a user of a "controlled substance"?

That means you were:

1) involuntarily committed to an institution
2) a judge declared you insane and wants to put you in the looney bin

The answer to OP's original question is no. Source: me

[jthrelf]

Okay, so medication for mild depression apparently does not fall under the "adjudicated mental health" category of prohibited person's? I have also heard that having a medical marijuana card will cause you to fail a background check. Don't know if that's true or not. I guess then you would be a user of a "controlled substance"?

There's some gray area with medical marijuana. It's prohibiting on the federal level. But whether your state shares those records where the prohibition would show up is another question. Then PA is a different question since PICS is used rather than NICS. It's a bit risky since you'd be lying on the 4473.

To the first question, being in therapy and having medication prescribed to you isn't prohibiting in itself.

[fritz1255]

Okay thanks folks I think I got it. Mental health only becomes an issue if it enters the legal system. With pot essentially legal now, I can't imagine someone getting a medical marijuana card unless you want to use it under a doctor's supervision.

[gnbrotz]

There's some gray area with medical marijuana. It's prohibiting on the federal level. But whether your state shares those records where the prohibition would show up is another question. Then PA is a different question since PICS is used rather than NICS. It's a bit risky since you'd be lying on the 4473.

To the first question, being in therapy and having medication prescribed to you isn't prohibiting in itself.

There is no "gray area". PICS queries NICS, and at this time, if you use marijuana, you ARE a prohibited person in the eyes of the law. If you have a medical MJ card but have never actually used MJ, as far as the authorities go, you are STILL prohibited. This means NO possession of guns or ammo, not just "I can't buy any more guns after I start using mj." I'm not saying I agree with this, but it is the current legal reality. This is well documented by both BATFE and PSP.

If/how the powers that sign off on FFL transactions find out about it are irrelevant. If you do it and answer the transfer form questions honestly, you will be denied. If you lie, you risk losing your rights for life.