Marijuana-Carolina

South Carolina Budget-Friendly Medical Marijuana Solutions

The likelihood of getting a medical marijuana card in South Carolina stands at 0% right now. That’s because the state has yet to allow the successful passage of any MMJ bill. Indeed, it is widely recognized that SC is among the most anti-marijuana states, with its law enforcement officials keen to crack down on offenders.

They may think this will lead to a positive outcome, but in reality, all it is doing is ensuring the black market thrives. Whether lawmakers and law enforcement like it or not, plenty of people in SC smoke weed. This article highlights the current situation and outlines if and when it will become possible to get a medical marijuana card in South Carolina.

It also discusses the penalties when found guilty of a marijuana crime and takes a quick look at the burgeoning black market.

South Carolina Marijuana Laws and Penalties

All attempts to create a situation where it becomes possible to get a medical marijuana card in South Carolina have failed to date. This will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future since Henry “I Hate Marijuana” McMaster won the 2022 gubernatorial election, and there’s little chance of him being out of office until 2026. 

A pair of bills to legalize marijuana, the Compassionate Care Act and the Patriots First Act, are going to go nowhere in the SC Senate, so you can forget about having any access to weed in the state for a long time.

To make matters worse, South Carolina has not decriminalized the substance. Therefore, you may spend 30 days in prison if found with a tiny amount, even less than a gram. If you’re caught again, you could spend up to a year in jail. If found selling or growing marijuana in SC, you might be sentenced to five years in prison since both are felonies.

It is also worth noting that the state has among the country’s highest rates of marijuana-related arrests. The thing is, this is doing little to prevent people from using the substance. As is the case in every other state with no MMJ program, the black market in South Carolina is doing extremely well.

Black Market Weed Is a Hit Across the Nation

Even in states with recreational cannabis, consumers continue to flock to black market sellers. The theory is that because there is so much information on growing marijuana, it is becoming easier to cultivate top-notch products. Thus, people are happy to pay over $100 less per ounce than what they would pay in a legal dispensary.

Of course, one has to understand that when you’re buying black-market weed, you’re risking more than prison time. In November 2022, the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association commissioned a study on black market products. It found that weed sold by 20 illegal stores in NYC was laden with contaminants. Indeed, around 40% of products contained nasty additions such as salmonella and E. coli.

It is a regular thing to hear about seizures of millions of dollars worth of marijuana throughout the United States, and South Carolina is certainly not immune. Indeed, SC has had issues with illegal marijuana for a long time. This is seen by the release of data by the National Drug Intelligence Center in 2001! 

The Center found that marijuana was the most widely available drug in South Carolina, and it was also the most abused. At that time, there was an influx of marijuana imported illegally from Mexico, with wholesale prices at an exceptionally low level. Indeed, the wholesale price ranged from $850 to $1,500 per pound! It may have been over 20 years ago, but that’s seriously inexpensive!

Final Thoughts on MMJ in South Carolina

It is impossible to say if or when it will become possible to get a medical marijuana card in South Carolina. Realistically, it is almost certain to be one of the last states to legalize weed, and it could even resist in the unlikely event that the drug becomes legal federally.

In the meantime, residents of SC looking for marijuana continue to turn to the black market. They risk their liberty and their health in the process. This may seem like crazy behavior, but for someone in chronic pain or with PTSD, it is the most logical step imaginable.