2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 44 - Health › Chapter 53 - Poisons, Drugs And Other Controlled Substances › Section 44-53-375. Possession, manufacture, and trafficking of methamphetamine and cocaine base and other controlled substances; penalties.

(A) A person possessing less than one gram of methamphetamine or cocaine base, as defined in Section 44-53-110, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction for a first offense, must be imprisoned not more than three years or fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both. For a first offense the court, upon approval of the solicitor, may require as part of a sentence, that the offender enter and successfully complete a drug treatment and rehabilitation program. For a second offense, the offender is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than five years or fined not more than seven thousand five hundred dollars, or both. For a third or subsequent offense, the offender is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than ten years or fined not more than twelve thousand five hundred dollars, or both. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person convicted and sentenced pursuant to this subsection may have the sentence suspended and probation granted and is eligible for parole, supervised furlough, community supervision, work release, work credits, education credits, and good conduct credits.
(B) A person who manufactures, distributes, dispenses, delivers, purchases, or otherwise aids, abets, attempts, or conspires to manufacture, distribute, dispense, deliver, or purchase, or possesses with intent to distribute, dispense, or deliver methamphetamine or cocaine base, in violation of the provisions of Section 44-53-370, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction:
(1) for a first offense, must be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than fifteen years or fined not more than twenty-five thousand dollars, or both;
(2) for a second offense, the offender must be imprisoned for not less than five years nor more than thirty years, or fined not more than fifty thousand dollars, or both;
(3) for a third or subsequent offense, the offender must be imprisoned for not less than ten years nor more than thirty years, or fined not more than fifty thousand dollars, or both.
Possession of one or more grams of methamphetamine or cocaine base is prima facie evidence of a violation of this subsection. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person convicted and sentenced pursuant to this subsection for a first offense or second offense may have the sentence suspended and probation granted, and is eligible for parole, supervised furlough, community supervision, work release, work credits, education credits, and good conduct credits. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person convicted and sentenced pursuant to this subsection for a third or subsequent offense in which all prior offenses were for possession of a controlled substance pursuant to subsection (A), may have the sentence suspended and probation granted and is eligible for parole, supervised furlough, community supervision, work release, work credits, education credits, and good conduct credits. In all other cases, the sentence must not be suspended nor probation granted.
(C) A person who knowingly sells, manufactures, delivers, purchases, or brings into this State, or who provides financial assistance or otherwise aids, abets, attempts, or conspires to sell, manufacture, deliver, purchase, or bring into this State, or who is knowingly in actual or constructive possession or who knowingly attempts to become in actual or constructive possession of ten grams or more of methamphetamine or cocaine base, as defined and otherwise limited in Section 44-53-110, 44-53-210(d)(1), or 44-53-210(d)(2), is guilty of a felony which is known as "trafficking in methamphetamine or cocaine base" and, upon conviction, must be punished as follows if the quantity involved is:
(1) ten grams or more, but less than twenty-eight grams:
(a) for a first offense, a term of imprisonment of not less than three years nor more than ten years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of twenty-five thousand dollars;
(b) for a second offense, a term of imprisonment of not less than five years nor more than thirty years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(c) for a third or subsequent offense, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of not less than twenty-five years nor more than thirty years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(2) twenty-eight grams or more, but less than one hundred grams:
(a) for a first offense, a term of imprisonment of not less than seven years nor more than twenty-five years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(b) for a second offense, a term of imprisonment of not less than seven years nor more than thirty years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(c) for a third or subsequent offense, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of not less than twenty-five years and not more than thirty years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(3) one hundred grams or more, but less than two hundred grams, a mandatory term of imprisonment of twenty-five years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(4) two hundred grams or more, but less than four hundred grams, a mandatory term of imprisonment of twenty-five years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of one hundred thousand dollars;
(5) four hundred grams or more, a term of imprisonment of not less than twenty-five years nor more than thirty years with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of twenty-five years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of two hundred thousand dollars.
(D) Possession of equipment or paraphernalia used in the manufacture of cocaine, cocaine base, or methamphetamine is prima facie evidence of intent to manufacture.
(E)(1) It is unlawful for any person, other than a manufacturer, practitioner, dispenser, distributor, or retailer to knowingly possess any product that contains nine grams or more of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine, their salts, isomers, or salts of isomers, or a combination of any of these substances. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a felony known as "trafficking in ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine, their salts, isomers, or salts of isomers, or a combination of any of these substances" and, upon conviction, must be punished as follows if the quantity involved is:
(a) nine grams or more, but less than twenty-eight grams:
(i) for a first offense, a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of twenty-five thousand dollars;
(ii) for a second offense, a term of imprisonment of not less than five years nor more than thirty years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(iii) for a third or subsequent offense, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of not less than twenty-five years nor more than thirty years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(b) twenty-eight grams or more, but less than one hundred grams:
(i) for a first offense, a term of imprisonment of not less than seven years nor more than twenty-five years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(ii) for a second offense, a term of imprisonment of not less than seven years nor more than thirty years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(iii) for a third or subsequent offense, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of not less than twenty-five years and not more than thirty years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(c) one hundred grams or more, but less than two hundred grams, a mandatory term of imprisonment of twenty-five years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of fifty thousand dollars;
(d) two hundred grams or more, but less than four hundred grams, a mandatory term of imprisonment of twenty-five years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of one hundred thousand dollars;
(e) four hundred grams or more, a term of imprisonment of not less than twenty-five years nor more than thirty years with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of twenty-five years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted, and a fine of two hundred thousand dollars.
(2) This subsection does not apply to:
(a) a consumer who possesses products:
(i) containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine in a manner consistent with typical medicinal or household use, as indicated by storage location, and possession of the products in a variety of strengths, brands, types, purposes, and expiration dates; or
(ii) for agricultural use containing anhydrous ammonia if the consumer has reformulated the anhydrous ammonia by means of additive so as effectively to prevent the conversion of the active ingredient into methamphetamine, its salts, isomers, salts of isomers, or its precursors, or the precursors' salts, isomers, or salts of isomers, or a combination of any of these substances; or
(b) products labeled for pediatric use pursuant to federal regulations and according to label instructions primarily intended for administration to children under twelve years of age; or
(c) products that the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Environmental Control, upon application of a manufacturer, exempts because the product is formulated in such a way as to effectively prevent the conversion of the active ingredient into methamphetamine, its salts, isomers, salts of isomers, or its precursors, or the precursors' salts, isomers, or salts of isomers, or a combination of any of these substances.
(3) This subsection preempts all local ordinances or regulations governing the possession of any product that contains ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine.
(F) Sentences for violation of the provisions of subsections (C) or (E) may not be suspended and probation may not be granted. A person convicted and sentenced under subsection (C) or (E) to a mandatory term of imprisonment of twenty-five years, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of twenty-five years, or a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of not less than twenty-five years nor more than thirty years is not eligible for parole, extended work release as provided in Section 24-13-610, or supervised furlough as provided in Section 24-13-710.
(G) A person eighteen years of age or older may be charged with unlawful conduct toward a child pursuant to Section 63-5-70, if a child was present at any time during the unlawful manufacturing of methamphetamine.
HISTORY: 1987 Act No. 128 Section 1; 1990 Act No. 604, Section 8; 1993 Act No. 58, Section 2; 1993 Act No. 184, Section 74; 1995 Act No. 7, Part I, Section 18; 2005 Act No. 127, Section 5, eff June 7, 2005; 2010 Act No. 273, Section 38, eff June 2, 2010; 2016 Act No. 154 (H.3545), Section 9, eff April 21, 2016.
Editor's Note
Section 44-53-160(B) authorizes the Department of Health and Environmental Control to add, delete, or reschedule a substance as a controlled substance when the General Assembly is not in session, and Section 44-53-160(C) requires the department to make such changes to conform to federal law. For a complete and accurate list of controlled substance schedules, please visit the department's website at http://www.scdhec.gov/Health/FHPF/DrugControlRegisterVerify/ControlledSubstanceSchedule/