Title 44, Health

Any person eighteen years of age or over who violates Section 44-53-370(a) by distributing a controlled substance classified in Schedule I (B) and (C) which is a narcotic drug or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and in Schedule II which is a narcotic drug, or who violates Section…

(A) It is a separate criminal offense for a person to distribute, sell, purchase, manufacture, or to unlawfully possess with intent to distribute, a controlled substance while in, on, or within a one-half mile radius of the grounds of a public or private elementary, middle, or se…

(A) Whenever any person who has not previously been convicted of any offense under this article or any offense under any state or federal statute relating to marijuana, or stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogenic drugs, pleads guilty to or is found guilty of possession of a contr…

Any person who enters a plea of guilty to or is found guilty of a violation of Section 44-53-370(a) or (c) may move for and the court shall grant a further hearing at which evidence may be presented by the person, and by the prosecution if it so desires, relating to the nature of…

(A) An offense is considered a second or subsequent offense if: (1) for an offense involving marijuana pursuant to the provisions of this article, the offender has been convicted within the previous five years of a first violation of a marijuana possession provision of this artic…

(A)(1) Whoever, knowing that the property involved in a financial transaction represents the proceeds of, or is derived directly or indirectly from the proceeds of unlawful activity relating to narcotic drugs or controlled substances, conducts or attempts to conduct such a financ…

(a) The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division shall establish within its Division a Department of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, which shall be administered by a director and shall be primarily responsible for the enforcement of all laws pertaining to illicit traffic in control…

(A) Controlled substances seized pursuant to this article must be inventoried, reported, audited, handled, tested, stored, preserved, or destroyed pursuant to procedures promulgated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. (B) The chief law enforcement official of the seiz…

The Department of Health and Environmental Control shall designate persons holding a degree in pharmacy to serve as drug inspectors. Such inspectors shall, from time to time, but no less than once every three years, inspect all practitioners and registrants who manufacture, dispe…

(A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person may use, sell, manufacture, or distribute for use or sale in this State no cleaning agent that contains more than zero percent phosphorus by weight expressed as elemental phosphorus except for an amount not exceeding five…

(a) Issuance and execution of administrative inspection warrants shall be as follows: (1) Any judge or magistrate of a court having jurisdiction where the inspection or seizure is to be conducted, may, upon proper oath or affirmation showing probable cause, issue warrants for the…

(a) The following are subject to forfeiture: (1) all controlled substances which have been manufactured, distributed, dispensed, or acquired in violation of this article; (2) all raw materials, products, and equipment of any kind which are used, or which have been positioned for …

(a) Forfeiture of property defined in Section 44-53-520 must be accomplished by petition of the Attorney General or his designee or the circuit solicitor or his designee to the court of common pleas for the jurisdiction where the items were seized. The petition must be submitted …

(a) It shall not be necessary for the State to negate any exemption or exception set forth in this article in any complaint, information, indictment or other pleading or in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding under this article, and the burden of proof of any such exemption o…

Prosecution occurring prior to June 17, 1971 is not affected or abated by this article. However, if the offense being prosecuted is similar to one set forth in Sections 44-53-370 to 44-53-470, then the penalties under Sections 44-53-370 to 44-53-470 shall apply if they are less t…

A search warrant relating to offenses involving controlled substances may be served at any time of the day or night if the magistrate or judge of any court of record of the State having jurisdiction over the area where the property sought is located is satisfied that there is pro…

(A) It is unlawful for any person at least seventeen years of age to knowingly and intentionally: (1) use, solicit, direct, hire, persuade, induce, entice, coerce, or employ a person under seventeen years of age to violate Section 44-53-370 or 44-53-375(B); (2) receive a controll…

All monies used by law enforcement officers or agents, in the line of duty, to purchase controlled substances during a criminal investigation must be returned to the state or local agency or unit of government furnishing the monies upon a determination by the court that the monie…

(a) Any innocent owner or any manager or owner of a licensed rental agency or any common carrier or carrier of goods for hire may apply to the court of common pleas for the return of any item seized under the provisions of Section 44-53-520. Notice of hearing or rule to show caus…

Any person who uses property or a conveyance in a manner which would make the property or conveyance subject to forfeiture as provided for in Sections 44-53-520 or 44-53-530, except for innocent owners, rental agencies, lienholders, and the like as provided for in this article, i…

This article may be cited as the "South Carolina Controlled Substances Therapeutic Research Act of 1980".

As used in this article unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: (a) "Director" means the Director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control; (b) "Marijuana" means marijuana, all tetrahydrocannabinols or a chemical derivative of any tetrahydrocannabinol; (c) "P…

(A) There is established in the Department of Health and Environmental Control a controlled substances therapeutic research program. The program shall be administered by the director. The program shall distribute to cancer chemotherapy and radiology patients and to glaucoma patie…

(a) The director shall appoint a Patient Qualification Review Advisory Board to serve at his pleasure. The Patient Qualification Review Advisory Board shall be comprised of: (1) a physician licensed to practice medicine in South Carolina and certified by the American Board of Oph…

(a) The director shall obtain marijuana through whatever means he deems most appropriate consistent with federal law. (b) The director shall cause such analyzed marijuana to be transferred to various locations throughout the State that provide adequate security as set forth in fe…

The director shall annually report to the General Assembly his opinion as to the effectiveness of this program and his recommendations for any changes thereto.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has exclusive control over the controlled substance methadone.

Methadone and its salts are restricted to: (1) use in treatment, maintenance, or detoxification programs as approved by the Department of Health and Environmental Control, including narcotic treatment programs operating pursuant to Section 40-43-72. (2) dispensing by a hospital f…

No supplier, distributor, or manufacturer may sell or distribute methadone or its salts to an entity for use, except as provided for in Section 44-53-720.

The Board of the Department of Health and Environmental Control shall promulgate regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this article.

An autopsy shall be performed on any person on a methadone program who dies while enrolled in such program. A report concerning the autopsy shall be filed with the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Each person enrolling in such program shall be notified of the autop…

Parental consent shall be obtained for all persons under eighteen years of age prior to admission to a methadone maintenance program; provided, that if any court of competent jurisdiction declares a person under eighteen years of age an emancipated minor, then such person may be …

The General Assembly finds: (1) that the future of this State rests in the hands of school children; (2) the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program taught in this State and in many schools nationally provides an effective and proven awareness of instilling drug resistance skills…

There is established the Drug Awareness Resistance Education (DARE) Fund, an eleemosynary corporation, the resources of which must be used to promote and encourage the Drug Awareness and Resistance Education Program in this State. The trust fund supplements and augments services …

(A) The DARE Fund is to be administered by a board of directors appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and is composed of: (1) the Attorney General, ex officio, or his designee; (2) two county sheriffs, who shall serve ex officio; (3) two police chi…

Board members are not entitled to per diem but may be reimbursed for mileage and all necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this article.

In administering this article, the board is authorized, but not limited to: (1) develop and implement educational programs and campaigns in support of the DARE Program in South Carolina; (2) make policy recommendations for the DARE Program in South Carolina; (3) assess the needs …

The board shall elect a chairman from among its members and shall adopt rules for the governance of its operations. The board shall meet at least semiannually. Six members constitute a quorum.

The board may employ a director and other staff as necessary to carry out the provisions of this article; however, administration of this article may not exceed twenty percent of the total funds credited to the trust fund, excluding the administrative fee paid to the Department o…

Funds credited to the trust fund, excluding the administrative fees paid to the Department of Revenue, may be used for, but are not limited to: (1) administration of this article including, but not limited to, personnel and board expenses; (2) development and promotion of the DAR…

The fund board annually by February first shall submit a report to the General Assembly concerning its expenditures of fund monies and activities.

Sales at retail of hypodermic needles or syringes shall be made only by a registered pharmacist or registered assistant pharmacist through a permitted pharmacy as authorized by Section 40-43-370, except that syringes and hypodermic needles may be sold by persons lawfully selling …

Nothing in this article applies to veterinarians in connection with the practice of their profession or to certified or licensed durable medical equipment providers when selling hypodermic needles and syringes to insulin dependent diabetics.

Any person who sells or purchases at retail any hypodermic needles or syringes, except in accordance with the terms of this article, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than sixty…