What happened in 1985 and now aren't the same thing. Why? Because the Brady checks didn't go into effect until 1998. In other words, the feds took your word for it in 1985 without doing a background check. After 1998 they stopped taking your word for it and they established the National Instant Check System (NICS) that's operated by the FBI. FBI considers any drug arrests within the last year as being proof of a drug conviction.