Illegal acts involving persons under seventeen years of age; penalties; separate offense.
S.C. Code Ann. § 44-53-577
in effect(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 controlled substance from a person under seventeen years of age in violation of this chapter; or (3) conspire to 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). (B) Any person who violates subsection (A)(1), (A)(2), or (A)(3) is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be punished by a term of imprisonment of not less than five years nor more than fifteen years. A violation of this section constitutes a separate offense. Editor's Note Section 44-53-160(B) authorizes the Department of Public Health, formerly 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 https://dph.sc.gov/professionals/healthcare-quality/drug-control-register-verify/controlled-substance-schedule
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t44c053.phpFetched: 10/17/2026