From February to May 2016, Cpl. James Stone, Alcohol Enforcement Coordinator for St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, conducted “Tobacco Compliance Checks” on 103 licensed tobacco retailers throughout St. Mary’s County and of the businesses checked, 48 sold products illegally to underage buyers.

The items purchased ranged from cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars, to refills for e-cigarettes (vaping oils). The penalty for selling tobacco products to a person under the age of 18 is a $300.00 civil citation. Penalties, including fines and suspension of the retail license, can also be imposed on the licensee of tobacco establishments.

Cpl. Stone states, “The reality is that underage teens are going to try to access these products if they can. It’s up to the retailers to train their employees to check ID’s correctly and refuse the sale of these products to underage youth.”
 
Starting in October, additional compliance checks will begin. If you are a retailer and would like more information, need signage for your store, or have questions, contact Rebecca Jackson at the St. Mary’s County Health Department at 301-475-4391. For questions regarding tobacco enforcement, please contact Cpl. James Stone at 301-997-8531 or by email at James.Stone@stmarysmd.com. 

Non-compliant locations:
* indicates the business was found to be in violation twice.

1. 7 Eleven Store — Mechanicsville
2. 7 Eleven Store — Charlotte Hall
3. A & W — Callaway
4. ABC Gas Station — Clements
5. Abell’s Tavern — Callaway
6. Beacon Liquor Store — Callaway
7. Boatman’s Mini Mart — Mechanicsville
8. Burchmart — Charlotte Hall
9. Burchmart — Leonardtown
10. Canopy Liquors — Lexington Park
11. Chief’s Bar —Tall Timbers
12. Corner Liquors — Lexington Park
13. County Liquors — Great Mills
14. Dash In — Charlotte Hall
15. Dash In — Leonardtown*
16. DJ’s One Stop — Mechanicsville
17. Exxon — Charlotte Hall * Sold twice
18. Family Dollar — Leonardtown
19. Family Dollar Store— Charlotte Hall
20. Family Dollar — Lexington Park
21. Food Lion — Leonardtown
22. Food Lion — California
23. Food Lion — Great Mills
24. Fred’s Liquor — Charlotte Hall
25. Giant Food — California
26. International Beverage — Lexington Park
27. Jug Head Liquors — California
28. Korner Karry Out — Mechanicsville
29. Oceanic — Mechanicsville
30. OCI Pub/Pizza King — Piney Point
31. Optimal Vapor — Leonardtown
32. Quik Stop — Great Mills
33. Rite Aid Store — Charlotte Hall
34. Rite Aid — Lexington Park
35. Russell’s Store — Valley Lee
36. Sheetz — Lexington Park
37. Shell — Charlotte Hall
38. Sign of the Whale — Lexington Park
39. Stop & Shop — Lexington Park
40. Terry’s Tobacco — Mechanicsville
41. The Beer Cave/Bob’s Sunoco — Callaway
42. The Corner Store (Callaway Shell) — Callaway
43. Third Base — Loveville
44. Wawa #583 — Mechanicsville*
45. Wawa — Charlotte Hall