Hacker News Reader

Comment by op00to | Hacker News Reader

You could then decide not to buy the alcohol. Unless you are severely addicted, you will not die if you don't purchase alcohol.

View on HN

Following the same reasoning, one could decide not to open any website, their TV, their phone and even their fridge. None of these will kill you

While should companies tracking us to make more money affect our habits?

Yes, but the point is that we already know (app permissions, cookie tracking consents) that "ask only what you need to function" isn't how sellers operate.

Also, you need an ID to buy some OTC medicine and to pick up some prescribed medicine. As well some other cases when ID needs to be presented, but those probably require more than just DOB anyway.

The irony is that most of the ID-to-buy-medicine rules people cite were created by the same GOP lawmakers who push voter ID. The Sudafed restrictions came from the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, introduced by a Republican sponsor and signed by a Republican president. If you are worried about creeping ID requirements, look at who actually writes these laws.

Again, citing the UK here, if you go to your doctor and get a prescription, all you need to pick it up is your name + address (said verbally over the counter) - no ID needed. I do not have statistics for the false pickup rates but I very much doubt it is anything to worry about.

In the US lots of prescriptions work the same. But some prescriptions and some over the counter (OTC) medicine requires presenting a legal ID to purchase because of a variety of laws.

Blood pressure prescriptions, no ID lots of times. OTC meds which are ingredients to make meth, need an ID.

> all you need to pick it up is your name + address (said verbally over the counter) - no ID needed.

Does it include controlled substances? Sure, I can pick up ibuprofen 800mg with just my name and DOB said verbally, but whatever is on schedule II (US term, but think Adderall) I required to show my ID.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com