# Can I get a gift card that can't buy alcohol or tobacco?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-a-gift-card-that-cant-buy-alcohol-or-tobacco/606204>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 14, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-a-gift-card-that-cant-buy-alcohol-or-tobacco/606204 "2011-12-14T17:59:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-a-gift-card-that-cant-buy-alcohol-or-tobacco/606204/21 "2022-08-25T23:00:54Z")

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Interesting. And another one which in addition to not allowing alcohol, tobacco or firearms purchases, [also disallows lottery tickets.](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Charitable-10-Walmart-Gift-Card-Alcohol-Tobacco-Lottery-Firearms-Prohibited/943645587)

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**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-a-gift-card-that-cant-buy-alcohol-or-tobacco/606204/22 "2022-08-25T23:17:54Z")

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I know the Hannaford grocery chain in New England sells gift cards for its stores that specify they can NOT be used for alcohol or tobacco. They have been doing so since before this thread was originally started in 2011.

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**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-a-gift-card-that-cant-buy-alcohol-or-tobacco/606204/23 "2022-08-26T16:53:27Z")

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> [@Potpourri](#):
>
> Walmart now has a restricted gift card.  
> [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Walmart-Gift-Card-Alcohol-Tobacco-Firearms-Prohibited/55486194](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Walmart-Gift-Card-Alcohol-Tobacco-Firearms-Prohibited/55486194)

Too bad they’re out of stock.

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**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-a-gift-card-that-cant-buy-alcohol-or-tobacco/606204/24 "2022-08-26T19:37:32Z")

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They’re not out of stock when I put one in the online shopping cart. Shipping to arrive in 5 days.

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**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-a-gift-card-that-cant-buy-alcohol-or-tobacco/606204/25 "2022-09-02T13:20:06Z")

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Giving condition-attached gifts is a high-handed, paternalistic, ungenerous thing to do. If you give someone money or the equivalent, it is theirs to spend as they wish. The OP reminds me of those righteous people who refuse to give money to panhandlers because the panhandlers might spend it on stuff they disapprove of.

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