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Electronic Scanners for Birthdate Verification in Tobacco Sales – 11/26/07
Q: Can states provide information on the use and effectiveness of electronic scanners to verify birthdates in tobacco sales? The attached bill (Phil Electronic Scanner Bll) is proposing the use of electronic scanners to reject the sale of tobacco products (as well as malt or brewed beverages) unless a birth date is entered into the register based on visual inspection of a photo identification.
A:
- California: Has understanding that these systems can be overridden by store clerks, limiting their effectiveness. Legal expertise was sought and provided by Alan Lieberman who stated: The problem with this type of requirement is getting clerks to enter the purchaser's actual b-date from the ID, rather than, e.g., entering the clerk's own b-date or some arbitrary date. One of our chains had developed a system to review the scanner data to see which dates the clerks were entering (on the assumption, I think, that clerks that would game the system wouldn't bother to enter a variety of dates).
The best system would be one in which the scanned tobacco product requires a second scan of the ID (which contains the date) but this requires even more (expensive) technology. While the Philadelphia system does make it easier for retailers and clerks who want to do the right thing, retailers will object to the burden and delay (longer lines) in eliminating the "override" function and requiring clerks to enter the b-date for, e.g., a 60-yr old. But until better technology is available, it does seem to be a step in the right direction (and a number of retailers already do this).
- Iowa: Provided a study of electronic scanners done in Iowa called
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