Question for you meth-cookers and other law-breakers out there...

[Mabouya]

Tonight I bought some Sta-Bil fuel treatment for when I put the Alfa to bed for winter later this month, and since the lines were somewhat long at the normal registers I went to the self-service things. I scanned a bunch of stuff with no issues, then when I got to the Sta-Bil I scanned it too. The machine beeped, and the display said something about "ID required." The attendant came over, swiped her badge, did something on the touch screen, and I continued on with my stuff.

Was this just a software glitch, or is Sta-Bil some sort of semi-controlled substance like those decongestants (can't remember the exact type) that are kept behind the counter because they can be used to make meth in your kitchen?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[spopepro]

Not sure. According to MSDS it's 95% kerosene. Probably a local policy no one is quite sure of why.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Pseudoephedrine or 'Sudafed' is the decongestant.

I buy StaBil or something similar frequently and never have to give an ID. spopepro already said that it is mostly kerosene, the other ingredients are probably detergents. If anything, it would be the detergents, or maybe it has muriatic acid also??? Kerosene is used in the process for stripping metal ribbons for the chemical reaction.

But, let's think like a good Economically minded Geeker trying to 'cook'.

You would never buy StaBil to cook with. A 12oz can is probably $6, where a gallon of kerosene is $3.75, and muriatic acid is cheaper as well. So no real reason to buy it.

Pseudo ephedrine is the hard one to come buy.

I used to have to show ID to buy gold/silver spray paint. Never realized why til I was riding next to the rail road track and saw it littered with clothing articles soaked in spray paint like David Bowie had just finished a video shoot.

All that said, shouldn't be any reason to have to show ID. The in-efficiency of cost is there.

[j44ke]

Terrererists.

[Too Tall]

Credit Rowdy, you could get a job at the Huffington Post ;)

[rowdyhillrambler]

Credit Rowdy, you could get a job at the Huffington Post ;)

Probly not, most likely the longest string of words I have ever written without mostly cuss words. And, I don't read so good.

[Matthew Strongin]

Probly not, most likely the longest string of words I have ever written without mostly cuss words. And, I don't read so good.

Sounds like the perfect journalist qualifications to me.

[Gattonero]

Last year I bought 6 cans of Ethanol fuel (for the stove used on my camping trips), and obviously shared it with some colleagues/friends.
There's no problem buying it in UK.

[TTX1]

Credit Rowdy, you could get a job at the Huffington Post ;)

If by "job" you mean "freelance" for click based compensation, I suppose Rowdy's response has a few keywords that could get the SEO machine going...

Not to quibble.

Twas a fine response.

[Mabouya]

Assuming kids aren't sniffing this stuff, I believe this is likely a safety issue. Looking at the receipt, between the Kashi cereal and the Sta-Bil it says "ID required - 18." I bet they don't want to sell highly-flammable liquids to kids under 18.

[deepsix]

Probly not, most likely the longest string of words I have ever written without mostly cuss words. And, I don't read so good.

run for office.