Officers raided a Baltimore smoke shop, where they found the business was selling suspected bootleg cannabis, according to police.

Police said they searched the smoke shop on East Monument and North Chester streets on Tuesday. Detectives seized approximately two pounds of suspected cannabis that had been individually packaged for distribution.

That store is not licensed as a dispensary to sell cannabis legally, police said.

A 22-year-old man who was wearing a ballistic vest that was labeled “Armed Security” and had a loaded rifle was arrested, according to police.

Police said that before the search warrant was executed, the man had reportedly been seen selling suspected cannabis from within the store.

He was charged with various controlled dangerous substances and firearms-related offenses.  

City council to hold hearing on Baltimore smoke shops

The Baltimore City Council will hold a hearing on Thursday, March 19, on the city’s smoke shops, which many appear to be illegally selling flavored vapes, cannabis, and other items, according to city leaders.

The city reports there are at least 1,200 smoke shops in Baltimore, with the highest concentration in low-income areas.    

City council is expected to address the enforcement of existing laws, as well as the impact of the concentration of such retailers on communities across Baltimore City. 

According to city officials, councilmembers will discuss their concerns with the Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore Police Department, and Sheriff’s Office.

Some of those issues include, according to the city council:

• The lack of resources to enable the Baltimore City Health Department to prevent underage tobacco sales laws.
• The lack of legal authority for the police department, sheriff’s office, or Alcohol Tobacco and Cannabis Commission (ATCC) to take action against retailers in Baltimore that are selling products that are not authorized by the FDA, including flavored vape products. 
• The lack of legal authority for the police department, sheriff’s office, or ATCC to shut down retailers engaging in illegal sales of cannabis and other drugs.

Bill regulating Baltimore’s smoke shops proposed

In October 2025, Baltimore City Council members introduced a three-part legislative package that would regulate the placement and operation of smoke shops in the city.

The legislation, which hasn’t been voted on, includes measures introduced by Council Members Tony Glover, Zac Blanchard, and Jermaine Jones.

One resolution would examine how smoke shops operate across Baltimore. their concentration in specific neighborhoods, and their potential effects on youth behavior, health outcomes, and local safety.

Another bill, “The Smoke Shop Use Standards Bill,” would formally define a smoke shop as any retail establishment primarily engaged in the sale or on-site consumption of tobacco products, vaping devices, or cannabis-related paraphernalia that devotes at least 10% of its floor area to such items.

That measure also seeks to ban smoke shops within 500 feet of schools, recreation centers or parks, and within 1,500 feet of another smoke shop.

Another proposal, the “Display Luminance Bill,” would set limits on how bright window displays or retail lighting can be when visible from public streets. Jones, who introduced the measure, said the goal is to reduce distractions for drivers and minimize marketing that could appeal to minors.

Councilmember Glover said that East Monument Street is an area where a lot of these smoke shops are popping up. He said when he and his staff started investigating this, they saw 13 shops pop up in a three-block radius.