Policy and privacy statements
Updated: November 13, 2008

All of us at SFNTC respect the privacy of adult tobacco consumers. Listed below is our detailed privacy policy. It applies to the information that we collect on this Web site. SFNTC’s detailed privacy policy took effect on January 1, 2007.

Adult Audience

SFNTC believes that youth should not use tobacco products. We take no actions to encourage youth use of tobacco products, and support organizations designed to discourage and reduce youth use of tobacco products, by linking them to our Web sites. Click here to view links to the Web sites of some of these organizations. SFNTC also does not engage in any advertising, promotion, or marketing to youth. We take these issues and responsibilities very seriously.

SFNTC has a longstanding corporate policy of not sending information on its business to students, as part of our commitment to directing brand-related communications to adult audiences and avoiding a tobacco-marketing presence in classrooms. SFNTC does not reply to any requests from students, unless they are seeking information on youth non-smoking programs.

We restrict our marketing mailing list to individuals who have certified that (1) they are tobacco consumers at least 21 years of age, (2) they want to receive mailings from a tobacco company, and (3) they understand that providing false information may constitute a violation of law. In addition, before a tobacco consumer is added to the marketing mailing list, SFNTC independently verifies that the tobacco consumer is at least 21 years of age. If an individual wants to be removed from SFNTC’s marketing mailing list, we make it easy to do so and we act promptly on all such requests. If at any time an individual wishes to be removed from our marketing mailing list, he or she can call 1-800-332-5595 or e-mail feedback@sfntc.com. An individual can also remove his or her name from our marketing mailing list by writing to SFNTC at PO Box 25140, Santa Fe, NM 87504.

Collection and Use of Personal Information

SFNTC is committed to protecting the privacy of the adult tobacco consumers who have requested to be on its marketing mailing list and the confidentiality of the personal information that they provide to us. SFNTC only collects information that is needed to add adult tobacco consumers to its marketing mailing list at their request, to serve these adult tobacco consumers, and to administer its business (e.g., to independently verify that a tobacco consumer is at least 21 years of age, or to conduct consumer research among tobacco consumers 21 years of age or older). We diligently strive to maintain recent and accurate information on the adult tobacco consumers on our marketing mailing list through customer surveys, customer initiated contacts, and responses to SFNTC’s marketing programs (online and offline) as well as through address update services.

We also collect non-personal information, including browser type and version, screen resolution, monitor color depth, AOL version (if applicable), operating system, JavaScript version, and connection speed. SFNTC merges this information with adult tobacco consumers’ personal information. The non-personal information is used in two ways. First, it is used for an annual assessment of changes in web technology that enables us to better serve adult tobacco consumers on its marketing mailing list. Second, it is used for problem resolution when an adult tobacco consumer on its marketing mailing list contacts us with a problem accessing its Web site.

SFNTC has strict policies and procedures in place to safeguard the privacy of adult tobacco consumers. SFNTC maintains adult tobacco consumers’ information in a secure environment and grants access to it only in accordance with our security standards. Sometimes it is necessary for us to share your information with third parties that perform services for us. When we contract with other parties to help us conduct our business, we require them to protect your personal information. Further, we do not permit them to use or store your personal information for any purpose other than the work they are doing on our behalf or as required by law. All SFNTC employees and others hired to work for us are held accountable for strictly adhering to these policies and procedures at all times.

Protecting against Identity Theft

Adult tobacco consumers that would like to learn more about protecting against identity theft can visit the FTC’s Web site for more information on how to avoid identity theft at: www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

SFNTC may also share your information with third parties, as appropriate: (1) if we believe that there has been a violation of our web site policies; (2) if we believe that someone may be causing injury to our rights or property, other site users, or anyone else; (3) to respond to judicial process or to provide information to law enforcement agencies; (4) otherwise as required by law.

Credit Card Information

SFNTC collects credit card information from tobacco consumers at least 21 years of age for payment if they place an order for tobacco products with us. The information is collected, validated by a third-party credit card processor, and stored using industry standard encryption. Credit card information is used only to fulfill an adult tobacco consumer’s order.

Cookies

Cookies are little pieces of information that a web site stores on your computer. SFNTC uses temporary cookies to streamline the login process and to maintain security while adult tobacco consumers browse its web sites, thereby ensuring that only adult tobacco consumers are on the web sites. These temporary cookies are also used to increase the efficiency of web site visits and are deleted when adult tobacco consumers close their browsers.

Links to Other Sites

This site may contain "links" to other sites that we think might be of interest to you. SFNTC is not responsible for the content or the privacy practices employed by these "linked" sites.

Unsolicited Ideas

Although SFNTC appreciates people’s interest in its business, it is our policy to decline consideration of unsolicited ideas and suggestions offered or submitted by the general public. SFNTC relies on its research and marketing staffs for the generation and implementation of new concepts. This is necessary in order to avoid misunderstandings over the origin of particular ideas. SFNTC is constantly generating new ideas, many of which we cannot use until years after they were first conceived. Accordingly, SFNTC does not accept unsolicited ideas for consideration, and asks you not to submit ideas for products or advertising.

Changes to This Policy

As our business changes, SFNTC reserves the right to change its Policy and Privacy Statements. We will update this page and the effective date listed above when we do so. You should check our privacy policy frequently on this web site to see recent changes.