All nine of Freeborn County establishments that have a license to sell tobacco passed unannounced compliance checks last week.

According to a Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office press release, the checks conducted June 22 included underage decoys who were supervised by a member of the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office.

The compliance checks were conducted through a Department of Human Services Congratulate & Educate Program, a state-funded program that promotes education for establishments on the importance of properly training staff to check identifications to keep tobacco products out of the hands of minors.

The compliance checks do not count toward the Sheriff’s Office’s required yearly compliance checks; the Sheriff’s Office will conduct additional compliance checks this year to comply with state statute, the press release stated.

Compliance checks under the program were not punishable by law.

Each establishment was given an informational sheet about the program and a fact sheet on tobacco compliance checks and a certificate for passing the checks.

Clerks selling tobacco to minors are issued a citation for the first violation which carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The establishment can also be held accountable financially and its license can be suspended for multiple violations.