State Fair Enforcement

Ankeny, Iowa (August 11, 2000) –The Alcoholic Beverages Division announced today results from the first day of tobacco enforcement activities at the Iowa State Fair. Yesterday, state troopers issued 27 citations for youth possession of cigarettes or tobacco products. Ages of cited youth range from 17 to 13. Most youth cited for tobacco possession were residents of the Des Moines area, however, cities across the state were represented, including Carroll, Monticello, Tama, and Plymouth, while others were from as far away as Florida or Ohio. While no compliance checks of retailers took place yesterday, tobacco stings are scheduled for later in the Fair.

Lynn Walding, Administrator of the Alcoholic Beverages Division added, “Overall, the program is proceeding as planned. We hope to sensitize the public to issues of youth tobacco consumption; the picture of young people smoking has become so commonplace we forget that it is not only illegal, but also extremely detrimental to young Iowans’ health.”

The Alcoholic Beverages Division is coordinating with the Iowa Department of Public Safety to provide two state troopers dedicated exclusively to patrol the State Fairgrounds and cite minors for illegal possession of cigarettes and other tobacco products. State troopers normally assigned to the State Fair will also be on the lookout for youth tobacco violators. First time offenders will be charged with a simple misdemeanor and are subject to a $50 fine and 8 hours of community service.

Troopers will also conduct compliance checks of the five tobacco retailers at the State Fair to ensure that tobacco products are not being made available to individuals under age 18. A first offense results in a $300 civil penalty to the permit holder.

The Alcoholic Beverages Division is undertaking a $1.5 million state wide tobacco enforcement effort funded by Iowa’s tobacco settlement.