Federal law denies guaranteed student loans to those convicted, and the law denies to those convicted the right to possess and carry firearms. For the most part, first offenses with no mitigating circumstances are continued without a finding, and charges are dropped after one year. Defendants are still put through the system, and must pay thousands for private legal services. They must submit to urine testing, and lose their drivers licenses. Prosecution itself is used as a form of punishment.
Many factors contribute to a defendant's sentence.
Factors include level of involvement in the prohibited conduct, location, age, presence or absence of minors, use of communications devices like telephones, conduct for which a person has been acquitted, and many other things. Unless otherwise specified, assume the following listed penalties apply only to first convictions. Prior convictions often place a defendant in a higher penalty range. Except where indicated otherwise, a listed fine is the maximum fine for the conviction, and the minimum fine is zero. If the Commonwealth accuses one of possessing marijuana for other reasons, the accompanying penalties will probably exceed those for possessing marijuana for personal use.