CVS pharmacy screens buyers of nail polish remover

New rule for nail polish remover requires buyers to show ID at CVS

Leading pharmacy is requiring customers to show IDs when buying nail polish remover to help fight use by meth makers.

Add nail polish remover to the list of consumer items now being screened in the battle against meth. CVS, the nation’s second-largest pharmacy chain by number of stores, is rolling out a policy at all of its 7,500 locations requiring that ID be shown when buying acetone-based nail polish remover — and limiting how many bottles may be bought at once.

“We are in the process of implementing this chainwide, beginning a few weeks ago,” CVS spokesman Michael DeAngelis told WBUR-TV in Boston.

While CVS and many other chain stores already require ID for buying certain medicines that can be broken down to make methamphetamine, the new CVS policy on nail polish remover was first noted in its New England stores earlier this month. In Rhode Island, WPRI-TV reported that signs recently appeared alongside nail polish remover that state: “CVS/Pharmacy is helping to protect our community from the illegal making and use of methamphetamine because acetone can be used in the process. Valid I.D. must be presented to purchase acetone-containing products.”

The WBUR reporter who reported the policy change wrote that she stumbled upon it when trying to buy nail polish remover at a CVS self-checkout stand.

“There was an error message on the screen,” wrote Rachel Rohr, “and a slip of paper printed out that read, ‘Products containing acetone/iodine cannot be purchased at the self checkout.’”

“So that’s it kids,” she wrapped up. “You can buy your nail polish at CVS, but you’ll have to buy your nail polish remover at Walgreens. (It’s cool, I checked.)”

Reader reaction on the WBUR website was overwhelmingly critical.

One person noted that acetone is sold by the gallon at hardware stores, so why would a meth maker even bother with small bottles?

“When will this insane invasion of privacy stop?” asked another person. “Next we won't be able to buy a six pack of soda or a donut without ID because of the obesity epidemic.”