I have a hard time believing that Nick had 8-9 grams of pot and didn't get arrested...
I don't know how Georgia operates, but I have heard of people being cited for possession in other states and not being arrested. According to questions people from Georgia have posted on Avvo, it appears that Georgia can cite people without arresting them:
http://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/what-is-the-punishment-for-a-citation-for-possessi-859987.htmlAn attorney from Georgia has information on his website that begins with "Have You Been Arrested
or Given A Citation for Possession of Marijuana in Georgia?":
http://www.dui.info/possession-of-marijuana-in-georgiaTechnically, they can cite him for possession if it's just residue. However, if they did so, they're charging him under the same statute that is for possession of under an ounce. If you're suggesting that he can be cited under this statute but not arrested because it was just residue, then the officer would also have the discretion to cite him and not arrest him if it was 8-9 grams. Same statute, same discretion to arrest or cite.
Because they can technically cite him with possession for just residue, I don't know how much he had on him. But in my experience, most officers will charge you with possession of drug paraphernalia if it's just residue, and not possession of a controlled substance. This, in combination with the fact that news outlets keep quoting "8 or 9 grams," suggests to me that it was not mere residue.