Spencer, Iowa — The Iowa State Patrol will soon be checking retailer compliance with Iowa’s tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor product laws. But the Patrol tells us that it’s part of an education effort and handing out citations is not the main point of the program.
Known as I-PLEDGE, the program is a partnership with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD) to educate local retailers and to enforce those laws, says Sergent Vince Kurtz with the Iowa State Patrol.
He says it’s a two-pronged approach.
Kurtz says part of the effort will also be educating retailers and their employees what products are not legal to sell to those under the age of 18. He says cigarettes and other tobacco products are included, but so are vapor products such as Juul and the like.
Since the program’s inception in 2000, the statewide tobacco compliance rate has grown to 91%. By participating in the program, the Iowa State Patrol has committed to do its part to increase the compliance rate even more this year.
The Patrol says that I-PLEDGE places emphasis on retailer training. Clerks who successfully complete an online training course and then pass an exam will become I-PLEDGE certified. This allows a retail establishment to use an affirmative defense against a civil penalty if the certified clerk makes an illegal sale.
To take the I-PLEDGE training or search certification records go to https://abd.iowa.gov/.
