American c-store giant 7-Eleven has reached agreement with the authorities in 40 states to introduce stringent new measures to prevent the sale of tobacco to minors.

The chain has agreed to check the IDs of all cigarette purchasers who appear to be aged under 27, to accept only valid government IDs as proof of age, to ban cigarette vending machines from its stores and to hire independent auditors to carry out random compliance tests at 900 outlets each year. It also agreed to pay each participating state $375,000.