Sniffin' Sticky-Tak?

March 15, 2005 9:07 PM

I've gotten carded at a grocery store for buying Sticky-Tak, otherwise known as adhesive putty. There has to be an explanation for it, but I don't know what it is. Send help.
posted by puke & cry to Shopping (14 answers total)

See: This thread from earlier today. You get carded (but not recorded) for buying a whole bunch of stuff that jackasses make meth out of. It's toothless legislation, kind of like the assault weapons ban, that does absolutely nothing except to show that politicians are 'doing something'.
posted by SpecialK at 9:18 PM on March 15, 2005

Response by poster: i commented in that thread actually. I didn't think it was that important at first, but it's really bugging me now. I really want to know what's in sticky-tak that would get me carded, as it seems the most unlikely of 'drug ingredients.'
posted by puke & cry at 9:25 PM on March 15, 2005

Texas does have a very broad "anti-huffing" statute. Does it say "VAPOR HARMFUL" anywhere on the package? Or maybe they were just confused.
posted by smackfu at 9:25 PM on March 15, 2005

Perhaps it was used by vandals in the area, resulting in the carding, as is done occasionally with spraypaint can purchases?
posted by AlexReynolds at 9:45 PM on March 15, 2005

Evidently duct tape, whiteout tape, denatured alcohol, spray paint, superglue, automotive lacquer, and "body putty" (maybe similar ingredients in your adhesive, puke?) are all items that require an ID purchase in some places.

My question is this: do they record the info on your ID, or do they simply need to know that you are over a certain age?
posted by taz at 11:58 PM on March 15, 2005

When I got carded for buying Sudafed (anti-meth laws), they didn't record any of my information at all. I couldn't buy it at the checkouts, I had to bring a little card to the pharmacy instead, at which point they checked my ID (for age, I assume) and sold me my cold medicine. My guess is that they're just trying to make it more irritating / scarier for those who are buying for illicit purposes.

Although I loved the thought of some government agency trying to make sense out of a list of everyone who's bought cold medicine in the last few days. Talk about signal to noise ratio.

But sticky-tak?!
posted by pikachulolita at 1:39 AM on March 16, 2005

It looks like C4, I wonder if it cant be made into something similar.
google finds this.
ha.
posted by pekar wood at 5:27 AM on March 16, 2005

duct tape???
We are doomed.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:31 AM on March 16, 2005

Although I loved the thought of some government agency trying to make sense out of a list of everyone who's bought cold medicine in the last few days. Talk about signal to noise ratio.

What they would look for is smurfing, the buying of small quantities by the same person at multiple locations. One-offs would go unremarked.
posted by Mo Nickels at 6:36 AM on March 16, 2005

If the person at the register thought you were good looking, it's a great excuse for some one to find out your name and address!
posted by Maishe at 7:48 AM on March 16, 2005

I'm simply apalled that you Americans are willingly giving it up so easily. Why the hell aren't you in open revolution against crap like this? My god, talk about an invasive and overbearing government!
posted by five fresh fish at 7:58 AM on March 16, 2005

Don't give 'em ideas, fff! I'm thinking of starting up an online stationery store up here. Order your whiteout from Canada, folks! :-)
posted by fish tick at 8:43 AM on March 16, 2005

Response by poster: The carding was prompted by the check-out computer and I'm pretty sure it was an age thing, considering the cashier looked at the ID for just a second. And I did ask why the hell I was getting carded for adhesive putty and of course they wouldn't tell me (or more likely didn't know). This happened about 3 years ago and I haven't bought the stuff since, so I'll have to buy some more and see what happens.
posted by puke & cry at 7:39 PM on March 16, 2005

Response by poster: oh and hey, now I'm going to make some C4.
posted by puke & cry at 7:41 PM on March 16, 2005