South Carolina Cannabis Advertising Laws

South Carolina has no cannabis advertising framework, because it has no legal cannabis market. Marijuana is a controlled substance under Title 44, Chapter 53. Julian's Law permits CBD oil containing at least 15 percent cannabidiol and no more than 0.9 percent THC for severe epilepsy under physician supervision, and establishes no lawful in-state supply.

If you are advertising hemp-derived or CBD products here, or targeting South Carolina shoppers from a neighboring legal market, our cannabis marketing agency page covers what channels are open.

Marijuana may not lawfully be sold in South Carolina under Title 44, Chapter 53, so there is no lawful marijuana advertising and no framework governing it. Advertising for compliant hemp products is governed by the Unfair Trade Practices Act and federal law rather than by any cannabis-specific framework.

Marijuana is a controlled substance under S.C. Code Ann. Title 44, Chapter 53. There is no adult-use programme, no medical programme, and no licensing framework. Possession of an ounce or less is a misdemeanour on a first offence, with escalating penalties thereafter.

Julian's Law, enacted in 2014, permits CBD oil containing at least 15 percent cannabidiol and no more than 0.9 percent THC for patients with severe forms of epilepsy, under the supervision of a physician participating in an approved study. It creates no dispensary system and no lawful in-state source of supply.

Hemp is separate. South Carolina aligned with the federal definition, permitting hemp with no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC, and administers cultivation through the Department of Agriculture.

There is no cannabis advertising rule set, because there is no cannabis regulator and no licensed industry.

This page is part of our state-by-state cannabis advertising laws library, covering all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

There is no cannabis advertising rule

South Carolina has no cannabis regulator, no licensing authority and no advertising regulations. This is an absence in state law rather than an omission from this page.

Product classification

For a product to be lawfully sold in South Carolina it must be hemp within the federal definition: derived from Cannabis sativa L. with no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. A product above that threshold is marijuana under state law.

Julian's Law

The CBD allowance operates through a physician relationship for a narrow patient group. It establishes no dispensary network and no lawful in-state supply.

Business name and licence number

Not required. There is no cannabis licensing framework.

The required warning statements

None. South Carolina mandates no cannabis warning language in advertising.

How the warnings have to appear

Not applicable, as none are required.

When the warnings are not required

Not applicable. There is no disclosure requirement to disapply.

Hotline number

Not required.

Prohibited content

No cannabis-specific content rule exists. What applies instead:

• S.C. Code Ann. Chapter 39-5, the Unfair Trade Practices Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts in trade or commerce
• Federal restrictions on disease, treatment and cure claims
• General advertising law

Discounts, coupons, and price promotion

No cannabis-specific restriction. General advertising law applies.

Pre-approval

Not applicable. There is no agency with authority to approve cannabis advertising.

What the Law Requires

South Carolina states no cannabis advertising age standard, because there is no framework. Legislative attention has been given to age restrictions for hemp-derived consumable products. Confirm the current requirement before planning any such campaign.

Audience Percentage Thresholds

South Carolina sets no audience composition percentage. This is an absence in state law rather than an omission from this page. Other states do set one: Connecticut requires reliable evidence that at least 90 percent of the audience is 21 or older, and Delaware requires at least 85 percent.

Event sponsorship

South Carolina sets no audience threshold specific to event sponsorship.

Where the burden sits

South Carolina imposes no audience composition evidence or recordkeeping duty for cannabis or hemp advertising. For a regional campaign, the applicable thresholds are those of the other states in the delivery footprint.

Age Gating and Consent

Websites

South Carolina prescribes no website age gate and no age verification requirement for cannabis or hemp advertising.

Direct communication

South Carolina states no age affirmation requirement for direct or individualized communication.

Location-based devices

South Carolina has no location-based device provision.

Established customers

Not applicable. There is no cannabis advertising definition to which an exception would attach.

People Depicted in Ads

South Carolina states no casting restriction, no minimum age for persons appearing in advertising, no prohibition on depicting consumption, and no cartoon, mascot or celebrity provision, because there is no cannabis advertising framework.

The Unfair Trade Practices Act prohibits unfair or deceptive acts in trade or commerce, and federal law restricts disease, treatment and cure claims, including where implied by imagery.

Restricted Locations and Buffer Distances

South Carolina states no cannabis advertising buffer. There is no distance requirement around any facility type, no transit prohibition and no public property prohibition, because there is no cannabis advertising framework. This is an absence in state law rather than an omission from this page.

General outdoor advertising law and municipal sign ordinances apply to physical placement.

Neighbouring States

South Carolina borders North Carolina and Georgia. Neither operates a state adult-use market. Each applies its own cannabis advertising rules, and those should be checked directly when planning a south-eastern campaign.

Can You Run a Digital Out of Home Screen in South Carolina?

For compliant hemp products, South Carolina states no cannabis-specific prohibition, so general outdoor advertising law and the local sign ordinance apply. Marijuana may not lawfully be sold in South Carolina.

Compliant Use of Geotargeting

• South Carolina states no cannabis advertising buffer, so there is no facility exclusion layer required by state law.
• Classify products against the federal 0.3 percent delta-9 standard, and confirm the current position on intoxicating cannabinoids before promoting them.
• Julian's Law establishes no lawful in-state supply, so it supports no marketing route.
• Model delivery from the Charlotte and Augusta DMAs, which extend into South Carolina.
• For regional campaigns, the applicable audience and content standards are those of the other states in the delivery footprint.

Neither programme exists, so there is no advertising rule set for either.

Recreational. Marijuana remains a controlled substance. Possession of an ounce or less is a misdemeanour on a first offence carrying up to 30 days and a fine, with escalating penalties for subsequent offences and larger quantities. South Carolina has not decriminalised.

Medical. South Carolina has no medical cannabis programme. Julian's Law, enacted in 2014 and named for a child with Dravet syndrome, permits CBD oil containing at least 15 percent cannabidiol and no more than 0.9 percent THC for patients with severe forms of epilepsy, under the supervision of a physician participating in an approved study. It establishes no dispensary network and no lawful in-state supply.

The Compassionate Care Act would establish a medical programme with a defined condition list, physician certification and a limited number of licensed dispensaries. It has passed the South Carolina Senate in successive sessions without becoming law.

Who regulates hemp here

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture administers the state hemp farming programme, with cultivation licensing operating under the federal framework.

Non-intoxicating hemp and CBD

Lawful. South Carolina aligned with the federal definition, permitting hemp with no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. There is no cannabis channel in South Carolina and no cannabis advertising rules, so a hemp product is governed by general law.

Intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids

Delta-8, THCA and similar products are sold in South Carolina, and their status has drawn official attention including guidance from state authorities on their treatment under the controlled substances framework. The position has been contested and has continued to develop. The federal definition of hemp narrows in November 2026, which is expected to remove federal hemp status from converted cannabinoids. Confirm the current position before planning any intoxicating hemp campaign.

What it means for advertising

There is no cannabis advertising framework, so the hemp position and general advertising law are what govern. Classify each product, take local advice on intoxicating cannabinoids given the unsettled position, and check the current age requirement for hemp-derived consumables.

Every statement on this page traces to one of the following:

• S.C. Code Ann. Title 44, Chapter 53, Poisons, Drugs and Other Controlled Substances
• Julian's Law, Act 221 of 2014
• S.C. Code Ann. Chapter 39-5, Unfair Trade Practices Act
• South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Hemp Program