Controlled Substance Crimes and Punishments
Texas law stipulates that possession of a controlled substance is punishable by a range of confinement dependent on the amount of the substance found in a defendant’s possession. Defined by the Texas Health & State Code section 481.101 through section 481.118, each controlled substance is given a penalty group, a punishment classification, and a confinement range. Also, each offense allows for probation.
We’ve put together the following table with all of the controlled substances in Texas, along with the different penalty groups, punishment classifications, and confinement range for each substance and its associated discovery amount (in grams) as a way to make it easy to find and understand the law tied to each controlled substance.
Drug Charges Chart
| Drug (Amount) | Penalty Group | Punishment Classification | Confinement Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buprenorphine (Less than 28 grams) | 4 | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year jail |
| Buprenorphine (28-200 grams) | 4 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Buprenorphine (200-400 grams) | 4 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Buprenorphine (400 grams or more | 4 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Cocaine (Less than 1 gram) | 1 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Cocaine (1-4 grams) | 1 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Cocaine (4-200 grams) | 1 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Cocaine(200-400 grams) | 1 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Cocaine (400 grams or more) | 1 | Enhanced 1st Degree Felony | 10-99 years TDC |
| Ecstasy (Less than 1 gram) | 2 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Ecstasy (1-4 grams) | 2 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Ecstasy (4-400 grams) | 2 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Ecstasy (over 400 grams) | 2 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Heroine (Less than 1 gram) | 1 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Heroine (1-4 grams) | 1 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Heroine (4-200 grams) | 1 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Heroine (200-400 grams) | 1 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Heroine (400 grams or 1 more) | 1 | Enhanced 1st Degree Felony | 10-99 years TDC |
| Hydrocodone under 300 mg (Less than 28 grams) | 3 | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year jail |
| Hydrocodone under 300 mg (28-200 grams) | 3 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Hydrocodone under 300 mg (200-400 grams) | 3 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Hydrocodone under 300 mg (400 grams or more) | 3 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Hydrocodone over 300 mg (Less than 1 gram) | 1 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Hydrocodone over 300 mg (1-4 grams) | 1 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Hydrocodone over 300 mg (4-200 grams) | 1 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Hydrocodone over 300 mg (200-400 grams) | 1 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Hydrocodone over 300 mg (400 grams or more) | 1 | Enhanced 1st Degree Felony | 10-99 years TDC |
| Ketamine (Less than 1 gram) | 1 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Ketamine (1-4 grams) | 1 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Ketamine (4-200 grams) | 1 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Ketamine(200-400 grams) | 1 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Ketamine (400 grams or more) | 1 | Enhanced 1st Degree Felony | 10-99 years TDC |
| LSD (Less than 20 units) | 1a | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| LSD (20-80 units) | 1a | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| LSD (80-4,000 units) | 1a | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| LSD (4,000-8,000 units) | 1a | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| LSD (8,000 units or more) | 1a | Enhanced 1st Degree Felony | 10-99 years TDC |
| Marijuana (Less than 2 oz.) | N/A | Class B Misdemeanor | UP to 180 days jail |
| Marijuana (2-4 oz.) | N/A | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year jail |
| Marijuana (4 oz.5 lbs.) | N/A | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Marijuana (550 lbs.) | N/A | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Marijuana (502,000 lbs.) | N/A | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Marijuana (2,000 lbs. or more) | N/A | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Marinol (Less than 1 gram) | 2 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Marinol (1-4 grams) | 2 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Marinol (4-400 grams) | 2 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Marinol (400 grams or more) | 2 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Mescaline (Less than 1 gram) | 2 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Mescaline (1-4 grams) | 2 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Mescaline (4-400 grams) | 2 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Mescaline (400 grams or more) | 2 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Methamphetamine (Less than 1 gram) | 1 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Methamphetamine (1-4 grams) | 1 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Methamphetamine (4-200 grams) | 1 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Methamphetamine (200-400 grams) | 1 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Methamphetamine (400 grams or more) | 1 | Enhanced 1st Degree Felony | 10-99 years TDC |
| Morphine (Less than 28 grams) | 4 | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year jail |
| Morphine (20-200 grams) | 4 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Morphine (200-400 grams) | 4 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Morphine (400 grams or more) | 4 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Motofen (Less than 28 grams) | 4 | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year jail |
| Motofen (28-200 grams) | 4 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Motofen (200-400 grams) | 4 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Motofen (400 grams or more) | 4 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Oxycodone (Less than 1 gram) | 1 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| Oxycodone (1-4 grams) | 1 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Oxycodone (4-200 grams) | 1 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Oxycodone (200-400 grams) | 1 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Oxycodone (400 grams or more) | 1 | Enhanced 1st Degree Felony | 10-99 years TDC |
| PCP (Less than 1 gram) | 2 | State Jail Felony | 180 days 2 years state jail |
| PCP (1-4 grams) | 2 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| PCP (4-400 grams) | 2 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| PCP (400 grams or more) | 2 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Pyrovalerone (Less than 28 grams) | 4 | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year jail |
| Pyrovalerone (28-200 grams) | 4 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Pyrovalerone (200-400 grams) | 4 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Pyrovalerone (400 grams or more) | 4 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Ritalin (Less than 28 grams) | 3 | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year jail |
| Ritalin (28-200 grams) | 3 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Ritalin (200-400 grams) | 3 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Ritalin (400 grams or more) | 3 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Valium (Less than 28 grams) | 3 | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year jail |
| Valium (28-200 grams) | 3 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Valium (200-400 grams) | 3 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Valium (400 grams or more) | 3 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
| Xanex (Less than 28 grams) | 3 | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year jail |
| Xanex (28-200 grams) | 3 | 3rd Degree Felony | 2-10 years TDC |
| Xanex (200-400 grams) | 3 | 2nd Degree Felony | 2-20 years TDC |
| Xanex (400 grams or more) | 3 | 1st Degree Felony | 5-99 years TDC |
Written by: Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian
Last Updated : September 18, 2023