The Iowa City Police Department conducted buy cigarettes sales law compliance checks on Jan. 18-21 at 61 businesses licensed to sell discount cigarettes products.
Working with plainclothes officers, underage patrons entered the businesses and attempted to illegally purchase buy cigarette online products. Police said 54 businesses refused to sell to the underage buyers. Seven businesses failed the compliance checks.
The businesses that failed the compliance checks are:
• The Den
• Fareway
• Liquor Downtown
• Red Poppy
• Russ' Northside Service
• Walgreens
• Zombies Tobacco
Selling tobacco products to a person under the age of eighteen is a simple misdemeanor, punishable with a $100 fine for a first offense. Additionally, all violations will be forwarded to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division for civil penalties against the tobacco licenses.