HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — Can medical marijuana users legally own a gun here in Pennsylvania? 

That was a question discussed at a joint hearing of the house health and judiciary committees Monday. 

Testifiers said, under federal law, a person is prohibited from possessing a firearm if they use an illegal controlled substance. 

And while medical marijuana is legal in Pennsylvania, federally it is still a Schedule 1 drug. However, that would only change if the federal government removes it.

 “I think this is just an opening conversation and something that is going to have a robust debate in the Commonwealth over the next few years,”  says Rep. Rob Kauffman, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee.

Those at Monday’s hearing also said the same issue would arise if Pennsylvania legalized recreational marijuana.