In An Effort To Further Combat Public Drunkeness And Spousal Abuse The City Will Soon Require Stores To Record The Names And Addresses Of People Who Buy Coors Light

When people start using etching acid to cook up debilitating illegal drugs that tear at the very fabric of society, then maybe let’s talk about giving the police wide latitude to create files on the law-abiding citizens they protect. Until then, this seems like another example* of Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr.’s insane overreach:

In an effort to further combat “scratchiti” — graffiti etched into glass — the city will soon require stores to record the names and addresses of people who buy glass-etching acid.

. . .

The purchase information — which includes the buyer’s name and address, amount of acid and date — must be kept for up to one year and made available to the police on request.

“This will have a deterrent effect if people know their identification will be kept on record,” said Councilman Peter F. Vallone Jr., a Queens Democrat who is chairman of the Public Safety Committee and who negotiated with the mayor’s office to get the bill passed by the Council on Wednesday.

. . .

“We had an impasse until I went to buy Sudafed,” Mr. Vallone said. Sudafed and other cold medicines are now broadly regulated — and often kept under lock and key — because they are used as an ingredient in methamphetamine, but a license is not required to obtain the drug.

“I went to get Sudafed and they asked me for my identification,” Mr. Vallone said. “I asked how come we can’t do it for etching acid?”

*As in.