Tuesday, October 11, 2016

St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Conducts Tobacco Compliance Checks

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

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