§ 16-13-32 - Transactions in drug related objects; forfeitures and penalties
O.C.G.A. 16-13-32 (2010)
16-13-32. Transactions in drug related objects; forfeitures and penalties
(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, a pharmacy intern or pharmacy extern as defined in Code Section 26-4-5, or a practitioner licensed to dispense dangerous 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.