When you think of drug charges, your mind may turn to ones like possession, distribution or trafficking. Those aren’t the only drug-related charges that are possible. Another one that you may not hear about often is drug paraphernalia charges.
Drug paraphernalia is any item that is used to take, manufacture, package, transport or sell illegal substances. This can include things like bongs, pipes, rolling papers, syringes, digital scales, grinders and plastic baggies. While that’s not a complete list of what constitutes drug paraphernalia, it’s a good representation of what’s included.
How do police officers determine if something is drug paraphernalia?
Many of these items have legitimate legal uses, so context is critical. A digital scale used to weigh ingredients in a kitchen is legal. The same scale found with drugs, cash and tiny baggies could be considered paraphernalia in a criminal case. Because of this, police officers may consider what’s going on around the drug paraphernalia.
In some cases, there aren’t any drugs found with the paraphernalia. It’s still possible to face criminal charges in those cases based on the circumstances. One option that police officers might exercise is testing the paraphernalia for drug residue.
Some people think that these charges aren’t too serious, but any criminal charge can negatively impact the defendant’s future. Because of this, these charges must be handled in a way that best represents the interests of the defendant. Working with someone familiar with these matters may be beneficial for the defendant as they get their defense strategy set.
