The Knoxville Police Department has once again taken the pledge to keep tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products out of the hands of Knoxville youth. Known as I-PLEDGE, the program is a partnership with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD) to educate local retailers and to enforce Iowa’s tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product laws. Since the program’s inception in 2000, the statewide tobacco compliance rate has grown to 91%. By participating in the program, the Knoxville Police Department has committed to do its part to increase the compliance rate even more this year. This year could be more challenging for the department, as President Donald Trump signed a $1.4 trillion spending package on December 20th that, on top of many things, raises the federal legal age for purchasing tobacco from 18 to 21. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has six months to finalize the federal Tobacco 21 law, the agency announced it is now illegal for retailers to sell any tobacco product to consumers under 21 years old. The change in law also comes after 54 nationwide deaths have been linked to vaping products, as of December 17th.