(a) Possession of a hypodermic is authorized for the following:
(1) A manufacturer or distributor of, or dealer in, hypodermics or medication packaged in hypodermics, and any authorized agent or employee of that manufacturer, distributor or dealer, in the regular course of business;
(2) Terminal distributor of dangerous drugs, in the regular course of business;
(3) A person authorized to administer injections, in the regular course of the person’s profession or employment;
(4) A person, when the hypodermic was lawfully obtained and is kept and used for the purpose of self-administration of insulin or other drug prescribed for the treatment of disease by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs;
(5) A person whose use of a hypodermic is for legal research, clinical, educational or medicinal purposes;
(6) A farmer, for the lawful administration of a drug to an animal;
(7) A person whose use of a hypodermic is for lawful professional, mechanical, trade or craft purposes.
(b) No manufacturer or distributor of, or dealer in, hypodermics or medication packaged in hypodermics, or their authorized agents or employees, and no terminal distributor of dangerous drugs, shall display any hypodermic for sale. No person authorized to possess a hypodermic pursuant to division (a) of this section shall negligently fail to take reasonable precautions to prevent any hypodermic in the person’s possession from theft or acquisition by any unauthorized person. (ORC 3719.172)
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree. If the offender has previously been convicted of a violation of this section, Ohio R.C. 3719.05, 3719.06, 3719.13, 3719.172(B) or (E), or 3719.31 or a drug abuse offense, a violation is a misdemeanor of the first degree. (ORC 3719.99)