{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "penal", "section": "270.05", "citation": "Penal Law § 270.05", "heading": "Unlawfully possessing or selling noxious material", "text": ["§ 270.05  Unlawfully possessing or selling noxious material.", "1.  As used in this section, \"noxious material\" means any container which contains any drug or other substance capable of generating offensive, noxious or suffocating fumes, gases or vapors, or capable of immobilizing a person.", "2.  A person is guilty of unlawfully possessing noxious material when he possesses such material under circumstances evincing an intent to use it or to cause it to be used to inflict physical injury upon or to cause annoyance to a person, or to damage property of another, or to disturb the public peace.", "3.  Possession of noxious material is presumptive evidence of intent to use it or cause it to be used in violation of this section.", "4.  Bank security devices not prohibited.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this section, it shall not be unlawful for any bank, national banking association, trust company, savings bank, savings and loan association, industrial bank, or credit union to store, possess, transport, use or cause to discharge any bank security device as described in subdivision one of section 270.00 of this chapter; nor shall it be unlawful for any manufacturer, wholesaler, dealer, jobber or common carrier to manufacture, store, possess, transport, or sell such a device to banks, national banking associations, trust companies, savings banks, savings and loan associations, industrial banks or credit unions.", "5. Self-defense spray devices not prohibited. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions two and three of this section, it shall not be unlawful for a person eighteen years of age or older to possess a self-defense spray device as defined in paragraph fourteen of subdivision a of section 265.20 of this chapter in accordance with the provisions set forth therein.", "6. A person is guilty of unlawfully selling a noxious material when he or she sells a self-defense spray device as defined in paragraph fourteen of subdivision a of section 265.20 of this chapter and such sale was not authorized in accordance with the provisions of paragraph fifteen of subdivision a of section 265.20 of this chapter.", "Unlawfully possessing or selling noxious material is a class B misdemeanor."], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/270.05", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "Possessing noxious material with harmful intent, or selling self-defense spray without authorization, is a crime.\n- **(1)** **\"Noxious material\"** is any container holding a drug or substance capable of producing offensive, noxious or suffocating fumes, gases or vapors, or of immobilizing a person.\n- **(2)** **Possessing it under circumstances showing intent** to use it (or have it used) to injure or annoy a person, damage another's property, or disturb the public peace is unlawfully possessing noxious material.\n- **(3)** **Possession alone is presumptive evidence of that intent**. ★\n- **(4)** Banks, national banking associations, trust companies, savings banks, savings and loan associations, industrial banks and credit unions may store, possess, transport, use or discharge **bank security devices** described in § 270.00(1); manufacturers, wholesalers, dealers, jobbers and common carriers may make, store, possess, transport or sell such devices **to those institutions**.\n- **(5)** A person **18 or older** may possess a **self-defense spray device** as defined in § 265.20(a)(14), in line with that provision. ★\n- **(6)** **Selling a self-defense spray device** without the authorization required by § 265.20(a)(15) is unlawfully selling noxious material.\nUnlawfully possessing or selling noxious material is a **class B misdemeanor**.", "in_force_on": "2026-05-31", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/penal/270.05", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}