Phillip Morris ID database?

[dmolnar]

On Fri, 30 Mar 2001, David E. Smith wrote:

> so they sent me a spoon) and cigarette coupons. The standard "having your
> name in a database" caveats apply, though PM at least seems mostly
> interested in verifying that you're over 21. (All the paper forms I've
> seen expressly tell you to blackout your SSN/DL.)

That's interesting - I asked the guy at the scanner if they wanted the IDs
to verify ages, and he denied it - said that PM was just "updating its
database." Probably he didn't know what the database is used for. In any
case, if they're refusing IDs from minors, then this database seems less
useful for establishing how many minors smoke. I have to wonder just what
the rationale in the settlement for such a database is.

Thanks for the information - for a little bit I wasn't sure if this was
for real or not. 

-David