Title 16, Chapter 13, Section 32
( 16-13-32)
(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) "Drug related object" means any instrument, device, or object
which is designed or marketed as useful primarily for one or more
of the following purposes: (A) To inject, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce marijuana
or a controlled substance into the human body; (B) To enhance the effect of marijuana or a controlled substance
on the human body; (C) To test the strength, effectiveness, or purity of marijuana
or a controlled substance; (D) To process or prepare marijuana or a controlled substance
for introduction into the human body; (E) To conceal any quantity of marijuana or a controlled
substance; or (F) To contain or hold marijuana or a controlled substance while
it is being introduced into the human body. (2) "Knowing" means either actual or constructive knowledge of the
drug related nature of the object; and a person or corporation has
constructive knowledge of the drug related nature of the object if
he or it has knowledge of facts which would put a reasonable and
prudent person on notice of the drug related nature of the object. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation, knowing the
drug related nature of the object, to sell, lend, rent, lease, give,
exchange, or otherwise distribute to any person any drug related
object. It shall also be unlawful for any person or corporation,
knowing the drug related nature of the object, to display for sale,
or possess with the intent to distribute any drug related object.
Unless stated within the body of the advertisement or notice that
the object that is advertised or about which information is
disseminated is not available for distribution of any sort in this
state, it shall be unlawful for any person or corporation, knowing
the drug related nature of the object, to distribute or disseminate
in any manner to any person any advertisement of any kind or notice
of any kind which gives information, directly or indirectly, on
where, how, from whom, or by what means any drug related object may
be obtained or made. (c) It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation, other than a
licensed pharmacist or a practitioner licensed to dispense Legend
Drugs, to sell, lend, rent, lease, give, exchange, or otherwise
distribute to any person a hypodermic syringe or needle designed or
marketed primarily for human use. It shall be an affirmative defense
that the hypodermic syringe or needle was marketed for a legitimate
medical purpose. (d) For a first offense, any person or corporation which violates
any provision of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
For a second offense, the defendant shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
of a high and aggravated nature. For a third or subsequent offense,
the defendant shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be imprisoned for not less than one year nor more
than five years and shall be fined not more than $5,000.00. (e) All instruments, devices, and objects which are distributed or
possessed in violation of this Code section are declared to be
contraband. (f) After conviction and after all direct appeals from the
conviction have been exhausted, any instruments, devices, or objects
which are the subject of prosecution under this Code section may be
destroyed by the state or any county or municipality thereof without
court order. (g) Any instruments, devices, or objects which are seized after July
1, 1980, on condemnation as being distributed or possessed in
violation of this Code section and which are not made the subject of
prosecution under this Code section may be destroyed by the state or
any county or municipality thereof if within 90 days after such
seizures are made, the district attorney or the solicitor-general of
any court that has jurisdiction to try misdemeanors in the county
where the seizure occurred shall institute condemnation proceedings
in the court by petition, a copy of which shall be served upon the
owner of the seized items, if known; and if the owner is unknown,
notice of such proceedings shall be published once a week for two
weeks in the newspaper in which the sheriff's advertisements are
published. The petition shall allege that the seized items were
distributed or possessed in violation of this Code section; and, if
no defense is filed within 30 days from the filing of the petition,
judgment by default shall be entered by the court at chambers, and
the court shall order the seized items to be destroyed; otherwise,
the case shall proceed as other civil cases in the court. Should
the state prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the seized
items were distributed or possessed in violation of this Code
section, the court shall order the seized items to be destroyed. |