Mississippi is one of 41 states and Guam that have signed an agreement with Kroger Co. to take steps to prevent sales of tobacco products to minors, Attorney General Jim Hood announced Tuesday.

The agreement provides that Kroger implement comprehensive youth prevention tobacco retailing practices in its company owned stores. Kroger is the nation’s largest grocery chain, operating 31 stores in Mississippi.

“My colleagues and I have long recognized that youth access to tobacco products is a serious issue,” said Attorney General Jim Hood said in a news release.

Kroger also will take a number of steps to prevent youth access to tobacco in its franchise outlets, including requiring franchisees to report violations to the corporate office and modifying agreements to provide that violations of youth access laws could constitute grounds for termination or non-renewal of the franchise contract.