Opioids syringes...legal?

[j-bd87]

Are used syringes that are just cleaned out with water a misdemeanor, or felony? I live in California.

 

[sekio]

They're a health hazard is what they are.

 

[j-bd87]

I know...but legal?

 

[Alice_D]

No, you can get a misdemeanor ticket, for which you will have to go to court for. My friend has gotten two of them within 48 hours, in fact he got caught with the same needle and the ticket from the day before ha. But it is not that serious because they just told him to throw it away, didn't even take it or watch him dispose of it

 

[Sorce]

It depends where you live, not sure about cali

 

[John_Burrows]

Legal for what? What does the manner in which it was cleaned have to do with anything, assuming how it was cleaned was even provable?

 

[Alice_D]

If you don't clean them out they can test them and then charge you with poss of whatever sch drug, just like in certain states if you go the emergency room for drugs they can charge you with whatever drug is in your system.

 

[5StarSquatHotel]

I have been caught with used needles, a crack pipe and burnt foil before and after me telling them what is was for I was released and given it all back (this is in the UK by the way). Being in possestion of a needle is not illegal as you maybe using it for legit reasons.

 

[adder]

In Poland the most that may happen to you when a policeman stops you because you look "strange" and finds used syringes or used needles can't do anything because you can buy syringes and needles in any pharmacy OTC. If he finds things most often used when preparing a shot and things associated with drug use (citric acid, spoons, water along with some of these etc.), he may at worst get you to a police station but that's just wasting your time because if you don't have any drugs at yourself at the moment when you're stopped by a policeman, you can be even fucking high but that's no crime. How do you possess it? By having it in your bloodstream? lol

 

[BrokedownPalace]

When my ex-girlfriend and I got busted by DEA agents waving guns around at us, we got arrested for the dope we had, but I had a card from the syringe exchange "exempting me from paraphinalia charges". Long story short, after we got released 12 hours later my car, THAT THE FED DROVE TO THE STATION FOR ME instead of impounding it, still contained my brand new supply of 98 needles and the two that were used. They HAD to hvae come across the two we were using as they ran up on us, as when they tapd on the window with their Beretta, we each slammed the shot mad quick and just threw it on the ground. Atleast we got a mad rush 2 seconds before the cops threw us around and ripped my car apart. Being high isn't a crime, either. The only charges we got were possession ( 12 bags), and my gf got paraphinalia since she also had a coke straw in her wallet.

Syringes are paraphinalia. Misdemeanor. They knew what were doing (obviously), and let me keep all my rigs, swabs, tournequits, etc. Considering I had JUST come from the exchange to pick up abunch of new shit. They were actually pretty fascinated wit the whole exchange thing, so I spent a good two hours talking to one of the cops about the benefits of exchanges and whatnot.

Even though we got popped, the experience overall was a joke, and with th eexception of a couple of them, the cops were all pretty cool actally. Let me keep my rigs, didn't find two of the other bags I had stashed. They even gave us each a piece of pizza since the one guy felt bad we had to sit on this wooden bench handcuffed for about 11 hours.


Pretty strange day overall, sorry for getting off topic.

 

[socio]

Are used syringes that are just cleaned out with water a misdemeanor, or felony? I live in California.

California has a "carry 10" law. Anyone can legally possess up to 10 clean syringes. Well, ok, not exactly: The pharmacy can legally sell you 10 w/o a prescription.

As I understand it, once you have them, it is a combination of local ordinance and officer discretion that determines whether you're arrested. I would think that if there is no visible residue, most officers will choose to ignore it, unless they have some reason to mess with you. Part of it is that patrol officers and detectives (even more so) take their cues from local prosecutors. Most, I believe, do not make syringes a priority, especially given California state law.

This is a quote from a secondary source which came up top of a google search for california syringe law (american bar association may still have a section of their website devoted to syringe law in the USA, and I know there are other threads about it on BL):

Background Information about Senate Bill (SB) 1159 (Vasconcellos)In 2004, Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law SB 1159, which allows California pharmacies, when authorized by a local government, to sell up to ten (10) syringes to an adult without a prescription. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, healthcare workers, AIDS and liver disease educators supported the law, which incurs no new costs. Without local ordinances, the sale and possession of syringes without a prescription remains illegal under the law.

More, from a research article funded by CA's dept. of pub health:

For county and city governments that opt-in to the DPDP, pharmacies that register with the local government can sell up to ten syringes to adults (18 years of age or older) without a medical prescription. In addition, local governments can require pharmacies that participate in the DPDP to provide information on syringe disposal, drug treatment, infectious disease testing, and other medical and social services. Lastly, in DPDP locales, adults may legally possess up to ten syringes without a prescription provided that these syringes were obtained from an authorized source (i.e., registered pharmacy or legal SEP).

--Cooper, et al. 2010. "Pharmacy Participation in Non-Prescription Syringe Sales in Los Angeles and San Francisco Counties, 2007." J Urban Health 87(4): 543–552.​

Interesting post BP..

Being high isn't a crime, either.

This is the only part I disagree with: in california it is a crime: being under the influence of a controlled substance. It's a mandatory 90 days (most of which can be suspended). I've been hit with this before...

Syringes are paraphinalia. Misdemeanor. They knew what were doing (obviously), and let me keep all my rigs, swabs, tournequits, etc. [...] They were actually pretty fascinated wit the whole exchange thing, so I spent a good two hours talking to one of the cops about the benefits of exchanges and [...] with th eexception of a couple of them, the cops were all pretty cool actally. Let me keep my rigs, didn't find two of the other bags I had stashed.

Interesting. Might seem hard to believe, but I've had similar experiences. Usually I've found older (that's my theory and experience anyway) police to not really go all badass on me, but just be chill and act like it's just a job, sometimes just treating you like you're a customer in a store or something who they have to process, or even like a person who might be interesting. Suppose it helps if one takes the same attitude toward them. My job is junkie, drug dealer, etc., and today we happen to be working together.