Glover “Tobacco” Shut and Fined

As expected, Glover Tobacco in Glover Park, which claimed to sell tobacco and tobacco products, was ordered to close for five days and pay a $5,000 fine for selling marijuana illegally. The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) accepted an Offer in Compromise (OIC) on March 11th, 2026 brought by AMEL Inc, the owner of the business, and the DC Office of the Attorney General.

AMEL Inc has agreed to: 1) immediately cease selling marijuana or other cannabis products without a medical cannabis license at Glover Tobacco at 2319 Wisconsin Avenue or at any of its other business locations, or online; 2) allow ABCA to inspect the premises without notice at any time of their choosing when the business is open; 3) pay $5,000 immediately, and be aware that a second violation may result in an additional $20,000 fine, and 4) re-open only upon payment of the initial fine. Signing the OIC prevents the accused from contesting or appealing the agreement in the future.

Back in 2017, DC officials chose to battle the proliferation of illegal pot shops using the Metropolitan Police Department. This resulted in closures, high-profile arrests and even jail time for some, but the methods caused outrage among many proponents of marijuana use and it became a political pain-in-the-butt for some DC officials and candidates. As a result, MPD pulled back, and the pot shops proliferated again to over 250 locations. In 2023 the city council voted against a bill to ban the shops. A change happened in 2024 as city officials got strategic. In July of 2024 Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a bill called the “Medical Cannabis Conditional License and Unlicensed Establishment Closure Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2024.” This expanded the power of ABCA to close and fine unlicensed pot shops through surprise inspections, much like the power of the DC Health Department with food establishments. In fact, ABCA has partnered with DC Health, as well as MPD (but much more restrained) in conducting these inspections.

So far, ABCA has shut or fined over 100 illegal pot shops across the city, in addition to 5 legal dispensaries conducting illegal activities, since the law was passed in July 2024. Civil lawsuits comprise a second front against the illegal sales. The licensed medical dispensaries formed a coalition called the Alliance of Legal Cannabis Entities DC, and sued 16 gifting shop operators in DC as well as over a dozen associated property owners in federal court. In addition, there were seven other such lawsuits including a class action against 135 defendants. One of the defendants was Amru Ousman, the owner of Glover Tobacco though the lawsuit only referenced his other two alleged pot shops in Georgetown and Capitol Hill. MPD isn’t sitting on the sidelines either – so far, 56 people have been arrested and over 11,000 pounds of marijuana, THC products and mushrooms have been seized.

DC cannabis rules are complicated but can be summarized as follows:

1) only licensed medical marijuana dispensaries (DC now has over 60) are allowed to sell cannabis and buyers must be registered and certified.

2) residents 21 and older may possess up to 2 ounces (8 ounces if medically registered) and grow up to 6 plants at home. Consumption (smoking, eating, vaping) anywhere in a public space is illegal and driving under the influence is illegal.

3) residents may gift up to 1 ounce. There is no loophole in which one may sell a worthless product for an inflated price and gift the drugs. This was the basis for the illegal pot shop proliferation and is illegal.

Chris Jones