Factors that can determine which penalties are imposed for a particular drug offense include the number of drugs involved, whether it was the first or a subsequent offense, and if a person was merely in possession of the drug or was carrying out a more serious crime, such as trafficking.
For instance, the possession of less than a gram of methamphetamine is a misdemeanor that can be punished by a $5,000 fine and three years in prison for the first offense.