The Newton Police Department did tobacco compliance checks at twenty-five businesses earlier this week, and all of the businesses that were inspected passed. The police department says each employee checked the ID of the underage volunteer they sent in to attempt to purchase tobacco products, and refused to make the sale. If a sale was made, the employee would have been cited on the spot, with the penalties for selling tobacco, alternative nicotine, or vape products to a minor including a $135 fine for the first offense. The fine goes up to $325 for a second offense and $645 for a third and subsequent offenses.

Newton Police Chief Rob Burdess commended the twenty-five retail employees for their dedication to protecting the community’s youth. The Newton Police Department participates in the I-PLEDGE Program, which is a partnership with the Iowa Department of Revenue. The program’s goal is to educate retailers and clerks about enforcing Iowa’s tobacco, alternative nicotine and vape product laws. Since I-PLEDGE started in 2000, the statewide tobacco compliance rate has increased to 91%.