On Monday, February 2, 2026, the Johnston Police Department pledged to prevent the sale of tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products to underage individuals to reduce underage usage and sales. This initiative is called I-PLEDGE and is a collaboration with the Iowa Department of Revenue aimed at educating local retailers and enforcing Iowa’s laws concerning tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products. Since the program began in 2000, the statewide compliance rate for tobacco sales has risen to over 90 percent. By participating in this program, the Johnston Police Department is dedicated to further increasing the compliance rate this year.
As part of the initiative, plainclothes officers deployed underage individuals to attempt to purchase tobacco products from local businesses. All 18 participating businesses refused to sell tobacco to these underage buyers…