US pharmacy chain to stop selling cigarettes

[Peter B]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-06/massive-us-pharmacy-chain-to-stop-selling-cigarettes/5241424

One of America's largest pharmacy chains will become the first in the country to take cigarettes off its shelves.

CVS Caremark Group says it will stop selling tobacco products at its 7,600 stores by October.

CVS, whose Caremark unit is a major pharmacy benefits manager for corporations and the United States government's Medicare program, says the decision will strengthen its position as a healthcare provider.

Chief executive officer Larry Merlo says a $2 billion loss in annual revenue is worth it.

Am I missing something? Pharmacies in the USA routinely sell cigarettes? I think it's bad enough that pharmacies here in Australia sell homeopathic "medicines", but I've never known them to sell cigarettes.

Good grief.

[Eldorado]

To echo Peter.... Pharmacies that sell tobacco? WTH?

Alcohol and guns too?

Edited February 6, 2014 by Eldorado

[Agent0range]

Our pharmacies may be a little different from what you are used to. They are really just departments in retail stores. For instance, Wal-Mart has a pharmacy...

[spartan max2]

I mean CVS is kind of a drop by and get what you need store, like Walgreens. I don't see how selling cigarettes was a surprise to you two?

What surprises me is that they are not selling anymore, tobacco is kind of a cash cow.

Edited February 6, 2014 by spartan max2

[Ealdwita]

Pharmacies selling tobacco products seems to me a bit like Roman Catholic gift shops selling family planning items!

[Mikko-kun]

It makes sense in terms of getting money. Tobacco -> lung ailments -> med sales.

Edited February 6, 2014 by Mikko-kun

[Davros of Skaro]

Pharmacies that sold Cigarettes is an old time tradition.Is CVS going to stop selling Beer too? If only the People knew what undercover Alcoholics the workers at the CVS near me are?

Cigs were healthy at one time.

Believe it or not "The Flintstones" was prime time like "The Simpsons" of today.

[ChewiesArmy]

Cigs were healthy at one time.

[

My grandpa was a smoker his whole life. He told me how he started...

When he was 12, he had a cough that wouldn't go away. He saw many doctors and none of them could get rid of the cough. Finally, his family doctor prescribed cigarettes to stop the cough...and it did! Of course, he was hooked on them for the next 58 years finally dying because of cancer...lung cancer that is.

[Gary Meadows]

Now they will have to walk five more seconds to the next shop for cigs?

Life is so unfair.

[questionmark]

Bad business decision, you have to insure that you will increase your customer base in the future....

Edited February 6, 2014 by questionmark

[Peter B]

I mean CVS is kind of a drop by and get what you need store, like Walgreens. I don't see how selling cigarettes was a surprise to you two?

What surprises me is that they are not selling anymore, tobacco is kind of a cash cow.

Well, here in Australia, pharmacies sell medications (prescription and over-the-counter) and health-related products (like wound dressings, vitamins, upset tummy products, eyedrops), and usually not much more. They tend to get a bit upset if the supermarkets push to sell more over-the-counter medications, as that cuts into their profits and because there's no one in a supermarket who's trained to give medical advice. But about the most unhealthy thing you'll find in most pharmacies is a section selling chocolates.

[Rafterman]

Well, here in Australia, pharmacies sell medications (prescription and over-the-counter) and health-related products (like wound dressings, vitamins, upset tummy products, eyedrops), and usually not much more. They tend to get a bit upset if the supermarkets push to sell more over-the-counter medications, as that cuts into their profits and because there's no one in a supermarket who's trained to give medical advice. But about the most unhealthy thing you'll find in most pharmacies is a section selling chocolates.

Here's the CVS ad for a store in my area. As you'll see, it's basically a small grocery store.

https://www.cvs.com/weeklyad/browse/browse-home.jsp#Browse

It's probably a good think that they're going to stop selling tobacco products. Of course the real question I'd like to have someone answer is "when is our government going to stop collecting taxes on tobacco products"? Seems to me that in spite of all of their bluster about smoking over the past 50 years, they maintain a significant vested interest in a certain percentage of the population using these products.

Edited February 6, 2014 by Rafterman

[questionmark]

Here's the CVS ad for a store in my area. As you'll see, it's basically a small grocery store.

https://www.cvs.com/...home.jsp#Browse

It's probably a good think that they're going to stop selling tobacco products. Of course the real question I'd like to have someone answer is "when is our government going to stop collecting taxes on tobacco products"? Seems to me that in spite of all of their bluster about smoking over the past 50 years, they maintain a significant vested interest in a certain percentage of the population using these products.

You are right, if they had an vested interest in people stopping to smoke they would tax tobacco much higher.

[GollyBuster]

I never would have suspected that pharmacies are really licensed poison distributors.

[Peter B]

Here's the CVS ad for a store in my area. As you'll see, it's basically a small grocery store.

https://www.cvs.com/...home.jsp#Browse

Okay, by the looks of it pretty similar to our local Priceline pharmacies: http://www.priceline.com.au/

It's probably a good think that they're going to stop selling tobacco products. Of course the real question I'd like to have someone answer is "when is our government going to stop collecting taxes on tobacco products"? Seems to me that in spite of all of their bluster about smoking over the past 50 years, they maintain a significant vested interest in a certain percentage of the population using these products.

Well, as the article in the OP points out, smoking kills 480,000 Americans each year. Then add in all the smokers who are sick but don't die. That's a lot of health care to pay for. I don't see a problem with smokers being taxed to pay for the health care they're likely to need in coming years.

Perhaps if the USA introduced plain packaging for cigarettes like we have here in Australia...?

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/tobacco-plain

[aztek]

Well, here in Australia, pharmacies sell medications (prescription and over-the-counter) and health-related products (like wound dressings, vitamins, upset tummy products, eyedrops), and usually not much more. They tend to get a bit upset if the supermarkets push to sell more over-the-counter medications, as that cuts into their profits and because there's no one in a supermarket who's trained to give medical advice. But about the most unhealthy thing you'll find in most pharmacies is a section selling chocolates.

in america there is no one in a farmacy that will give you any medical advice. at the medecine couter pharmacist may spot a medication conflict (if someone is prescribed 2 meds that don't mix) but it is more of an exception than a rule. if you ask for medical advice, you will be told, to go and see a doctor.

and if someone does give medical advice in the store, they can be fired on the spot if manager finds out.

Edited February 6, 2014 by aztek

[spartan max2]

clearly plain packaging will stop people from smoking -_- lol

[Peter B]

in america there is no one in a farmacy that will give you any medical advice. at the medecine couter pharmacist may spot a medication conflict (if someone is prescribed 2 meds that don't mix) but it is more of an exception than a rule. if you ask for medical advice, you will be told, to go and see a doctor.

and if someone does give medical advice in the store, they can be fired on the spot if manager finds out.

Yes, good point, I worded that badly. I'm pretty sure it's the same here as you describe. That is, I can go to the pharmacy counter and get advice from the pharmacist on which is the appropriate non-prescription medication for a cold or hay fever, and discuss the prescription my doctor has given me.

[Rafterman]

Okay, by the looks of it pretty similar to our local Priceline pharmacies: http://www.priceline.com.au/

Well, as the article in the OP points out, smoking kills 480,000 Americans each year. Then add in all the smokers who are sick but don't die. That's a lot of health care to pay for. I don't see a problem with smokers being taxed to pay for the health care they're likely to need in coming years.

Perhaps if the USA introduced plain packaging for cigarettes like we have here in Australia...?

http://www.health.go...t/tobacco-plain

Or better yet, just outlaw the damned things and be done with it. But it seems like our governments are just as addicted to them as the smokers they demonize:

http://www.rjrt.com/taxpays.aspx (just to be upfront, these are RJR's numbers, but they are easily verifiable)

Here are some of the facts about tobacco taxes today (these are US numbers):

• Since 1998, governments at all levels have collected more than $484.6 BILLION in cigarette taxes (including sales tax) and payments from smokers.
  
• Settlement payments, federal, and state and local taxes on cigarettes for fiscal year 2012 amounted to more than $43.3 BILLION.
  - Federal excise taxes - $14,870,000,000
  - State and local excise taxes - $17,446,492,000
  - State cigarette sales taxes - $4,207,463,000
  - Tobacco settlement payments - $7,190,051,472
  

Edited February 6, 2014 by Rafterman

[Peter B]

clearly plain packaging will stop people from smoking -_- lol

At the very least it's intended to discourage people from starting smoking in the first place.

And given the money spent by tobacco companies in fighting the plain packaging laws, all the way to the High Court, they presumably felt threatened in some way by the plain packaging laws.

[spartan max2]

I also have this crazy idea that we shouldn't excessively raise taxes on things that we view as "bad" aka sin taxes.

You know letting people make their own choices . But its really just about the money, states and governments love money

a nice song for my amusement

[media=]

[/media] Edited February 6, 2014 by spartan max2

[rashore]

I wonder what they will fill the counter with instead? Tobacco products take up quite a bit of space behind the register.

[Rafterman]

You are right, if they had an vested interest in people stopping to smoke they would tax tobacco much higher.

Or just outlaw them altogether and be done with it.

[Peter B]

Or better yet, just outlaw the damned things and be done with it.

Because that won't stop many people from smoking. There will be nearly as many people requiring medical treatment for smoking-related illnesses, and much less money for the health system.

[questionmark]

Or just outlaw them altogether and be done with it.

Did not work with booze, did not work with drugs, will not work with tobacco, and as the moralists don't have it on their agenda yet it will certainly not be outlawed.