12 May 2 - 8, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents code that leads to the lab report that should show the product is compliant with state and federal law. Be sure you have access to the lab reports for the products you buy. So, if you have followed the advice so far, you’re not drunk or high and you’ve simply made your purchase at the local hemp shop. You have your receipt and you have access to the lab reports. But what do you do if you get pulled over on your way home? If the cop finds your hemp product, and you decide to not answer any questions, you’ll likely be arrested, Sergi said. From the mo- ment the officer asks you about the hemp product, you should be thinking about build- ing your defense, all of which, ideally, will be captured by a body camera. “I think perform- ing for the camera and saying ‘Look at the QR code. Here’s my receipt. This is a legal delta-8 product or a legal product I purchased from this store and cut it off there,’” Sergi said. He’s had several clients end up in this situation. They were smart enough to tell the officers what they had was legal, show them their re- ceipt and direct them to the QR code so they could see the lab reports. A couple of them got tickets. One got arrested. But none of the charges have stuck, Sergi said. “You have every right to be silent,” he said. “The problem is, it’s my estimation that the truth will set you free. Even if you are ar- rested, it gives you a reason to complain about the cop when you have that dog and pony show on camera.” Whatever you do, be polite and respect- ful throughout the interaction. If you can’t do that while explaining that what you have is legal, it’s probably just smarter to keep your mouth shut. “Remember, you’re per- forming for a camera that will eventually wind up in a DA’s office,” Sergi said. Cannabis attorney Daniel Clancy offered similar advice. If an officer asks about it, ex- plain that it’s a legal hemp product that you have in your possession. “You’re telling the officer that based on what the retailer has told you,” Clancy said. “We’re walking out of the stores, simply relying on the packaging, and the labeling, and the sales people who represent to us that this is a hemp-derived product, and that it’s legal.” The problem is, sometimes what’s on the packaging and in the lab reports isn’t represen- tative of the product you leave the story with, Clancy said. “My experience tells me that of- tentimes, depending on what we buy, and where we buy it, and who we’re buying it from, it may or may not be what the package says it is,” Clancy said. “It may or may not be a hemp- derived product. It may very well be mari- juana, which is illegal in the state of Texas.” Whatever the case, though, it’s still impor- tant to build your defense during your inter- action with the officer. “Obviously, anything you can have on you to show it was purchased at this retail store, here’s the receipt, here’s the packaging that says it’s a hemp-derived product … all of those things are going to sup- port your position,” Clancy explained. If you’re carrying the product loose, without a receipt, you might be out of luck. At that point, you can almost guarantee your product will be seized although you may not be arrested. The product will likely be tested by police, and depending on what they find, you could face criminal charges later. That may happen regardless, but at least with your receipt and the lab reports that show the product is legal, you’ll have some de- fense against the charges. Maybe the officer just isn’t hearing it. They don’t care that you, the packaging and the lab reports say the product is legal. At that point, it’s best to let the officer do what they’re going to do, respectfully revealing as little informa- tion as possible. Sure, you’re required to show them your ID, but you’re not required to an- swer questions that may incriminate you, es- pecially without a lawyer present. “You’re never required to answer ques- tions,” Clancy said. “You do have the right to have counsel if you feel like you’re starting to be sort of pushed into a corner and are being targeted or accused of a certain crime and all of a sudden things start to really seem like it’s gone from a simple traffic stop to a more seri- ous matter. … At that point in time is when you need to respectfully say ‘Officer, I understand you have a job to do. I want to cooperate. I will cooperate. But I feel it’s important that I speak to an attorney before I answer any more ques- tions,’ and then let the process play out.” Danny S. /Wikimedia Commons Unfair Park from p10 Hemp and marijuana are sometimes the same thing to cops *First-time guests only. Valid only for select services. Additional terms may apply. Participation may vary; please visit waxcenter.com for general terms and conditions. European Wax Center locations are individually owned and operated. © 2024 EWC Franchisor LLC. All rights reserved. European Wax Center® is a registered trademark. old town shopping center 214 368 4929 preston royal village 214 987 6995 addison walk 469 726 4464 casa linda plaza 214 320 4929 preston park village 214 778 1434 Smooth Skin, Smoother Moves Your First Wax is Free*
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