(a) No person shall knowingly make, obtain, possess or use any instrument, article or thing the customary and primary purpose of which is for the administration or use of a dangerous drug, when the instrument involved is a hypodermic or syringe, whether or not of crude or extemporized manufacture or assembly, and the instrument, article or thing involved has been used by the offender to unlawfully administer or use a dangerous drug, or to prepare a dangerous drug, other than marihuana, for unlawful administration or use.
(b) This section does not apply to manufacturers, licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies and other persons whose conduct was in accordance with Ohio R.C. Chapters 3719, 4715, 4729, 4730, 4731 and 4741.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of possessing drug abuse instruments, a misdemeanor of the second degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of a drug abuse offense, violation of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(d) In addition to any other sanction imposed upon an offender for a violation of this section, the court may suspend for not more than five years the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit. However, if the offender pleaded guilty to or was convicted of a violation of Ohio R.C. 4511.19 or a substantially similar municipal ordinance or the law of another state or the United States arising out of the same set of circumstances as the violation, the court shall suspend the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit for not more than five years. (ORC 2925.12; Ord. 2022-52. Passed 9-20-22.)