Results of Compliance Checks Of Linn County Tobacco, Alternative Nicotine and Vapor Product Merchants
On Feb. 8 and Feb. 11 the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division’s Iowa Pledge program, conducted multiple tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product compliance checks on local establishments located in rural Linn County. During the compliance checks the Linn County Sheriff’s Office utilized two underage undercover purchasers. Of the 25 Linn County tobacco product retailers checked (excluding the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha metro area), no retailer sold cigarettes/tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products to any of the undercover purchasers who were under the age of 21.
Merchants located in the communities and rural areas of Linn County were 100% compliant in following Iowa’s tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product laws.
The penalties for illegal tobacco sales in Iowa are as follows: employee: 1st violation — $100 fine, 2nd violation — $250 fine, 3rd and subsequent violations — $500 fine; retailer: 1st violation — $300 civil penalty, 2nd violation (within 2 years) — $1,500 fine or 30-day suspension of tobacco sales permit, 3rd violation (within 3 years) — $1,500 fine and 30-day suspension of tobacco sales permit, 4th violation (within 3 years) — $1,500 fine and 60-day suspension of tobacco sales permit, 5th violation (within 4 years) — revocation of tobacco sales permit.
Additional tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product compliance checks may be conducted at any time throughout the year