Two Iowa City businesses fail tobacco checks for second time

IOWA CITY - Two Iowa City businesses that failed tobacco law compliance checks in December failed a second round of checking conducted Wednesday.

In early December, the Iowa City Police Department, using underage buyers, conducted tobacco checks at the 54 businesses in the city licensed to sell tobacco products. Of those businesses, nine businesses sold tobacco products to underage buyers.

Those nine businesses were checked again Wednesday and two of them - Joe's Place, 115 Iowa Ave.; and Casey's General Store, 1904 Broadway St. - failed the tests again.

Selling tobacco to a minor is a simple misdemeanor punishable by a $195 fine. Violations can also lead to civil penalties against the businesses' tobacco licenses.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com