Texas § HS.481.183 - EVIDENTIARY RULES RELATING TO DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

§ HS.481.183. EVIDENTIARY RULES RELATING TO DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

EVIDENTIARY RULES RELATING TO DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. (a) In considering whether an item is drug paraphernalia under this chapter, a court or other authority shall consider, in addition to all other logically relevant factors, and subject to rules of evidence: (1) statements by an owner or person in control of the object concerning its use; (2) the existence of any residue of a controlled substance on the object; (3) direct or circumstantial evidence of the intent of an owner or other person in control of the object to deliver it to a person whom the person knows or should reasonably know intends to use the object to facilitate a violation of this chapter; (4) oral or written instructions provided with the object concerning its use; (5) descriptive material accompanying the object that explains or depicts its use; (6) the manner in which the object is displayed for sale; (7) whether the owner or person in control of the object is a supplier of similar or related items to the community, such as a licensed distributor or dealer of tobacco products; (8) direct or circumstantial evidence of the ratio of sales of the object to the total sales of the business enterprise; (9) the existence and scope of uses for the object in the community; (10) the physical design characteristics of the item; and (11) expert testimony concerning the item's use. (b) The innocence of an owner or other person in charge of an object as to a direct violation of this chapter does not prevent a finding that the object is intended or designed for use as drug paraphernalia. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1099, Sec. 13, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.