Drug trafficking charges are automatically considered felony charges, and the penalties of these charges depend on the amount of drugs you are carrying, as well as the types of drugs. Marijuana charges tend to be lesser than most other drug charges because marijuana has been medically approved in states neighboring South Carolina and they are much more common charges, though marijuana is considered to be a much less harmful drug than most other illegal substances.
Simple possession of marijuana in South Carolina can you see behind bars for up 6 months and is not considered a felony. Felony possession of marijuana, which begins at an ounce, however, carries a maximum sentence of 5 years, 10 years if you were arrested within a mile of a school or a park.
Penalties for more serious drugs, such as cocaine, crack, meth, acid, etc, carry much harsher minimum sentences. For cocaine, meth, and crack, the minimum sentencing is 3 years, with a ten-year maximum for your first offense. Heroine carries a minimum sentence of 7 years.
Your sentence will depend on the amount of illegal drugs you were carrying at the time of your arrest, or were found in your car and/or home. Over 100 lbs of weed, 100 grams of cocaine, meth, or crack, and 14 grams of heroin all equate to a minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison.
Because drug crimes are considered violent crimes, whether or not any violence happened, all drug charges in the state of South Carolina are exempt from normal bail, bond, and parole rules. South Carolina has extremely harsh drug laws, and without extremely rare circumstances, persons charged with PWID (possession with intent to distribute) are normally not eligible for parole and/or bail.