CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The first thing you see on the door of Pink Cloud Smoke shop is a sign that reads, “No tobacco, vapor, or nicotine pouches to those under 21.” And the first thing the cashier sees when they scan a product is an alert for a required verification that the buyer is 21 or older. The owner takes that step seriously and ensures his employees do too.
“We were thinking it’s an easy business, but it’s not because there are a lot of things; the laws, the state, and the federal,” said the owner of Pink Cloud Smoke Shop Aftab Afridi.
One University of Iowa researcher believes the penalties aren’t harsh enough. Doctor Anthony Fischer led a study that found tobacco sales to minors continue to be a problem even after a federal law raised the minimum age to 21…