FREDERICK, MD -- Between October 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025, the Frederick County Liquor Board and Frederick County Health Department conducted compliance checks of Frederick County businesses. Of the 55 alcohol-selling businesses inspected, 47 passed and eight sold alcohol to the underage buyers. Of the 142 tobacco-selling businesses inspected, 13 businesses sold a tobacco or vape product to an underage buyer and were issued a civil citation. The complete report of businesses checked and the results is available here.
“Protecting kids from being able to access tobacco and alcohol is still a top priority for Frederick County," states Andrea Walker, Director & Chief Public Health Strategist with the Frederick County Health Department. "Since July 2025, the Frederick County Health Department and our partners have educated 230 tobacco licensees on how to prevent underage sales of tobacco and vape products. The Frederick County Liquor Board also educated 332 alcohol licensees on responsible beverage service.”
According to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the most recent year data is available, almost 40% of all Frederick County high school students said they had their first drink of alcohol before turning 17. In the same survey, around 6.5% of students said they have tried tobacco for the first time in the last year.
The Merchant Sales Compliance Initiative aims to reduce youth access to alcohol and tobacco products, including electronic smoking devices. The program’s goal is to protect public health and promote health and wellness in our youth.
Environmental strategies, including policy and enforcement efforts, are effective strategies in preventing the misuse of tobacco and alcohol by kids, according to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
Compliance by merchants of age-restricted sales laws protects the health of our youth by limiting access to potentially addictive substances. The chance of becoming addicted to alcohol or nicotine is greater when people start drinking or using drugs as teenagers. Teens who begin drinking before age 15 are four to six times as likely to become dependent on alcohol compared to people who don’t drink before turning 21 years old (Grant & Dawson, 1997; SAMHSA, 2014). The majority of adults who have a substance use disorder started using before age 18 and develop their disorder by age 20. These statistics highlight the importance of keeping kids and teens away from using substances while underage. (Dennis et al., 2002).
In Frederick County, underage individuals assist in the execution of both alcohol and tobacco merchant compliance checks. All underage individuals possess their valid state-issued driver’s license or identification card, which is provided to every merchant who asks for identification. If the merchant asks the individual their age, the individual is required to reply truthfully. All underage individuals are accompanied and observed by a plainclothes officer.
For more information about the Frederick County Merchant Sales Compliance Initiative, call 301-600-1755 or visit: Health.FrederickCountyMD.gov/Merchants.