North Liberty Police Conduct Tobacco Compliance Checks

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North Liberty Police are conducting compliance checks on local establishments as part of the I-PLEDGE program, an initiative developed by the Iowa Department of Revenue to educate retailers and enforce Iowa's tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor product laws. Underage customers, under police supervision, will attempt to purchase these products, and clerks who make illegal sales will be cited on the spot.

Why it matters

The I-PLEDGE program aims to reduce underage access to tobacco and nicotine products by ensuring retailers comply with state laws. Illegal sales can lead to criminal penalties for clerks, and repeated violations could result in businesses losing their licenses to sell these products.

The details

As part of the I-PLEDGE program, underage customers under the supervision of North Liberty law enforcement officials will enter local establishments and attempt to purchase tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products. Clerks who make the illegal sale will be cited immediately. Criminal penalties for selling to minors include a $135 fine for a first offense, $325 for a second offense, and $645 for third and subsequent offenses.

• The compliance checks are currently underway in North Liberty.

What’s next

Retailers in North Liberty are encouraged to ensure their employees are trained on I-PLEDGE and Iowa's tobacco sales laws to avoid citations and penalties.