Drug Paraphernalia Possession

The possession of equipment, products or materials primarily intended for use in manufacturing, concealing or consuming an illegal controlled substance, such as pipes, syringes, scales or packaging materials adapted for drug use. It is criminalized as a distinct, generally lesser offense from possession of the controlled substance itself in a number of jurisdictions, including under United States federal law and the law of many individual states, on the reasoning that such equipment facilitates drug use or distribution even when no controlled substance is found in the offender's possession at the time; some jurisdictions have narrowed or decriminalized the offense as part of broader harm reduction policies such as needle exchange programs.