On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Alcohol Enforcement Unit conducted a series of tobacco compliance checks at retail establishments throughout the county to ensure adherence to laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21.
The operation involved 34 businesses and utilized a 20-year-old confidential informant (CI), who attempted to purchase tobacco products under the observation of Corporal Kristi Nelson of the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division. The CI, dressed in jeans and an athletic shirt, Cpl. Nelson, in plain clothes, monitored each transaction.
Out of the 34 businesses checked, 30 were found to be in compliance and refused to sell tobacco products to the underage CI after requesting identification. However, four businesses failed the compliance check by selling tobacco products without verifying age or requesting ID.
Clerks at the non-compliant businesses were each issued a DC-028 Uniform Civil Citation for the unlawful sale of tobacco products to a person under the age of 21.
The following businesses passed the compliance checks:
7-Eleven - 45955 East Run Drive, Lexington Park
Abell's Tavern - 20281 Piney Point Road, Callaway
Baymart and Deli: 16591 Three Notch Road, Ridge
Beacon Liquors - 20975 Point Lookout Road, Callaway
Bob's Sunoco - 20321 Piney Point Road, Callaway
Canopy Liquors - 21636 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
Cook's Liquors & Deli - 18400 Point Lookout Road, Park Hall
Corner Liquors - 46920 S. Shangri La Dr., Lexington Park
County Liquors - 21600 Great Mills Road, 5, Lexington Park
Dollar General - 13270 Point Lookout Road, Ridge
Dollar General - 21179 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park
Dollar General Store #16754, 21411 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
Dollar General Store #21651, 20877 Point Lookout Road, Callaway
Family Dollar Stores #2142, 21703 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
Great Mills Quik Stop, Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
Hermanville C-Store - 21151 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park
International Beverages: 21367 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
Lexington Park Service Inc, 21697 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
Mary Matha Food Mart Inc., 20943 Point Lookout Road, Callaway
Ridge Market and Liquor - 13270 Point Lookout Road, Ridge
Rod'n Reel - 18161 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park
Royal Farms- 21779 Tulagi Place, Lexington Park
St Mary’s Fine Wine and Spirits: 20141 Point Lookout Road, Great Mills
St. James Deli & Spirits - 19343 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park
Sunoco Quick Shop – 21141 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park
The Toasted Foot Lounge, 20845 Callaway Village Way, Callaway
Tobacco Hub - 21310 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
Weis Market #283, 21600 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
WJ Dent & Sons/Chief's Bar - 44584 Tall Timbers Road, Tall Timbers
2000 Liquors - 21800 N. Shangri-La, #19, Lexington Park
The following four businesses did not pass the compliance check and failed to ask for any identification, allowing tobacco product sales to an underage person:
Sheetz - 20760 Old Great Mills Road, Great Mills
Smoke Shack – 46925 B, S Shangri-La Drive, Lexington Park
Stop'N Shop: 21036 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
Vape & Tobacco (St. Mary’s Square) - 21600 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to enforcing underage tobacco laws and thanks the participating businesses that followed the law for their cooperation.
