September 15, 2025

NSSF, ATF Celebrate 25 Years of Partnership With The ‘Don’t Lie for the Other Guy’ Anti-Straw Purchasing Campaign

WASHINGTON, D.C. – NSSF^® – The Firearm Industry Trade Association – and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) celebrated 25 years of collaboration with the “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy™” program to prevent the straw purchase of firearms, that is when an individual illegally buys a firearm on behalf of someone who is prohibited from owning one. This milestone was commemorated with a press conference featuring ATF Deputy Director Rob Cekada and NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi.

When a criminal is illegally trafficking in firearms or knows they cannot pass an FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background check, they may try to entice a friend or acquaintance to purchase a firearm for them. This is a straw purchase and it is a felony. The “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” campaign drives home the message that anyone making an illegal firearm purchase faces a federal felony penalty of up to 15 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.

Straw purchasing firearms poses a serious risk to public safety by allowing guns to get into the hands of those who are a danger to themselves or others. Felons, domestic abusers and people with certain mental health conditions or drug addiction are “prohibitive persons”- those not permitted to purchase firearms. Through straw purchasing, these people are able to obtain weapons that are often used in violent crimes like homicides, robberies and gang-related activities.

Recognizing the danger posed by straw purchasing, NSSF and ATF came together in 2000 to launch a groundbreaking public education campaign. The goals were simple but powerful:

Train firearm retailers to identify and prevent illegal gun purchases.
Educate the public that buying a gun for someone who cannot legally own one is a serious federal crime with life-changing consequences.

“Firearm industry members, the retailers in neighborhoods and communities across the country, are the first line of defense in the collaborative effort to stop illegal firearm purchases and keep firearms out of the hands of those who should not possess them. NSSF, as the firearm industry trade association, is proud of our 25-year partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the ‘Don’t Lie for the Other Guy’ public education and awareness initiative to reduce these illegal straw purchases,” NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi stated. “Retailers want nothing more than to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the ‘Don’t Lie’ initiative has proven to do just that. We look forward to 25 more years.”

“ATF agents are on the front lines every day—taking down traffickers, dismantling criminal networks, and stopping violent offenders. This campaign helps support their work by cutting off the illegal supply of firearms at the source,” ATF Deputy Director Rob Cekada said.

Historically, “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” campaigns have been fully funded by the firearm industry. In 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act gave this campaign new strength by making straw purchasing and firearms trafficking standalone federal crimes with tougher penalties: up to 15 years in prison and fines of $250,000. The law also provided federal funding for ATF to complement the industry-funded program.

In this 25^th year of the campaign, NSSF has delivered 107.4 million total gross media impressions in three major cities and ATF has delivered 85 million ad views for the campaign in five different cities to combat straw purchasing and the violence it breeds.

Learn more information about this important campaign or for additional resources, visit NSSF’s website at: https://nssfrealsolutions.org/ or at ATF’s website: https://www.atf.gov/firearms/dont-lie-other-guy.

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About NSSF
NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

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NSSF Media contact:
Bill Brassard
203-426-1320 ext. 212

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