Retail Tobacco Compliance Rate Shows Marked Improvement

West Des Moines, Iowa (April 11, 2001) – Tobacco retailers across the state are responding favorably to Iowa’s efforts to reduce youth access to tobacco. Lynn Walding, Administrator of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD), today announced a marked improvement in retail compliance rates at a meeting of the Iowa Tobacco Advisory Committee (ITACom).

“In the past 9 months, Iowa retailers have made a concerted effort to stop illegal sales and possession of tobacco to youth,” Walding said. “I am pleased to announce that the statewide compliance rate has increased from 67 percent (33 percent non-compliant) last summer, to a current rate of 79 percent (21 percent non-compliant).”

Walding credited tobacco retailers and local law enforcement for the improvement. The Iowa Pledge Program, developed by the Iowa ABD last fall, asks Iowa’s kids to take the pledge not to use tobacco products, Iowa’s retailers to pledge not to sell tobacco products to kids and Iowa’s law enforcement to pledge to enforce Iowa’s new tobacco laws.

Randy Meyer, a member of ITACom and Vice President, Krause Gentle Corporation, praised the program and commended retailers for decreasing sales of tobacco to kids. “I know that retailers are diligently trying to keep illegal products out of the hands of Iowa’s kids, and I am pleased that the effort is paying off,” Meyer said. “Through the use of the state’s educational material, and sincere training from retailers, we are making a difference.”

The Iowa Pledge Program is focused equally on education and enforcement. “The chief goal of the Iowa Pledge Program is to gain the voluntary compliance of Iowa’s retailers. Compliance, and not the issuance of citations, is the state’s overall goal. Simply stated, retailers need to be part of the solution, and not the problem,” Walding noted.

The Iowa ABD has contracted with 200 local law enforcement partners to work with the Iowa Pledge Program. Officers work with local youth to conduct compliance checks, and in turn report the compliance results to the state. “By partnering with the communities, law enforcement and retailers are working cooperatively and collectively to lower youth access to tobacco,” Walding said. “Retailers are paying closer attention to tobacco sales, while local law enforcement officials are better informed of Iowa’s new tobacco laws.”

Other activity of the meeting included distribution of two educational posters – “ID Her Before She IDs You; and “Would You Know a Fake ID If You Saw One” – educational booklets, and a graphic rendition of the new vertical underage ID card.

For additional information regarding the Iowa Pledge Program, call 866.IA.PLEDGE (866.427.5334).

Editors – for camera-ready artwork of the Iowa Pledge logo, vertical ID and other material, please contact 866.IA.PLEDGE.