A-G comes to agreement with gas station chain on selling tobacco

Iowa’s Attorney General has reached an agreement with a gas station chain to toughen up its policies on preventing the sale of tobacco to minors. A-G Tom Miller says B-P Amoco has about 275 company-owned stores in Iowa. He says they’re going to card anyone 35 or younger, use their videotape system to check on compliance by employees,they’re going to eliminate self-service cigarette displays and free tobacco giveaways, and will hire an outside firm to make compliance checks. Miller says the goal is to cut off the access to tobacco for minors.He says studies show about 47-percent of underage cigarette users get their tobacco at gas stations, while 27-percent get them at convenience stores. Miller says the state already had agreements with Walgreens retail stores and Exxon-Mobil gas stations.He says they will continue seeking agreements with other major cigarette retailers. Miller says 39 states have reached such an agreement with B-P Amoco.