LEONARDTOWN, Md. (Nov. 1, 2016)—From February to May 2016, Cpl. James Stone, Alcohol Enforcement Coordinator for St. Mary's Co. Sheriff's Office, conducted Tobacco Compliance Checks on 103 licensed tobacco retailers throughout St. Mary's County. Forty-eight of those businesses 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 issued to the sales clerk. Penalties, including fines and suspension of the retail license, can also be imposed on the licensee of tobacco establishments.
Non-compliant locations:
* indicates the business was found to be in violation twice.
• 7 Eleven Store—Mechanicsville
• 7 Eleven Store—Charlotte Hall
• A & W—Callaway
• ABC Gas Station—Clements
• Abell's Tavern—Callaway
• Beacon Liquor Store—Callaway
• Boatman's Mini Mart—Mechanicsville
• Burchmart—Charlotte Hall
• Burchmart—Leonardtown
• Canopy Liquors—Lexington Park
• Chief's Bar —Tall Timbers
• Corner Liquors—Lexington Park
• County Liquors—Great Mills
• Dash In—Charlotte Hall
• Dash In—Leonardtown *
• DJ's One Stop—Mechanicsville
• Exxon—Charlotte Hall *
• Family Dollar—Leonardtown
• Family Dollar Store— Charlotte Hall
• Family Dollar—Lexington Park
• Food Lion—Leonardtown
• Food Lion—California
• Food Lion—Great Mills
• Fred's Liquor—Charlotte Hall
• Giant Food—California
• International Beverage—Lexington Park
• Jug Head Liquors—California
• Korner Karry Out—Mechanicsville
• Oceanic—Mechanicsville
• OCI Pub/Pizza King—Piney Point
• Optimal Vapor—Leonardtown
• Quik Stop—Great Mills
• Rite Aid Store—Charlotte Hall
• Rite Aid—Lexington Park
• Russell's Store—Valley Lee
• Sheetz—Lexington Park
• Shell—Charlotte Hall
• Sign of the Whale—Lexington Park
• Stop & Shop—Lexington Park
• Terry's Tobacco—Mechanicsville
• The Beer Cave/Bob's Sunoco—Callaway
• The Corner Store (Callaway Shell)—Callaway
• Third Base—Loveville
• Wawa #583—Mechanicsville *
• Wawa—Charlotte Hall
On October 13, the sheriff's office conducted additional underage tobacco compliance checks throughout St. Mary's County. As a result of the operation, four businesses were cited for selling to a minor:
• Boatman's Mini-Mart—41106 Oakville Rd, Mechanicsville
• Dash-Inn—30100 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
• Rite-Aid—30283 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall
• Terry's Tobacco—29015 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville
The sales clerk's from each business were cited with a civil citation for furnishing tobacco products to a minor. Boatman's Mini Mart will also face an administrative sanction through the St. Mary's County Alcohol Board for violation of local rules and regulations.
"The reality is that underage teens are going to try to access these products if they can," noted Cpl. Stone. "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."