Tobacco Sales in Pharmacy

[bananaface]

For the American Cancer Society's 33rd Annual Great American Smokeout on Novermber 20, 2008, NCPA released the following article:
NCPA Encourages Member Pharmacists to Consider Refraining From Selling Tobacco Products

Given the choice, would you stock and sell tobacco or alcohol at your pharmacy? If so, would sell it at the pharmacy counter, front-end, or both?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[blueclassring]

In an independent pharmacy that would specialize in wellness and health, it makes no sense to sell cigarettes. In a grocery store chain with a pharmacy, it makes perfect sense because many products are sold in one. I personally would not sell cigarettes because I'm trying to promote gold health. Others may see it differently, and see it as a profit source.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

Another thing to keep in mind is lottery tickets. Depending on the state, you get a few cents for every dollar you sell plus part of the winnings. That alone can pay for rent if you live in a low quality of life area.

 

[bananaface]

The difference between lottery tickets and cigarettes is that lottery tickets aren't carcinogenic.

 

[Printo]

I thought this was America!

but seriously, people have the liberty to do whatever they want to their bodies (be it good or bad) & we as capitalists should provide the consumer with what they want. if anything you're just throwing money out the window by not stocking cigs because they will just get them somewhere else & NOT come into your store to buy them, along with other goods that they may purchase while in your store.

 

[naseuy]

Just like how smoking cigarettes is a personal choice (though not really, since you affect others with second hand smoke), not stocking cigarettes in my pharmacy would be my choice.

 

[TonyRx]

Personally and hypothetically, I wouldn't sell tobacco related products if I owned my own Pharmacy. It just doesn't seem right if you're trying to promote the well-being of others.

Regarding the personal choice statement, I would agree that it is...but one could argue that due to the neural addiction of tobacco(dopamine levels), it skews your behavior and decision making. Which probably opens up a philosophical debate on whether or not we truly have personal choices...since we are effected and bombarded by thousands of influences a day that effect our decision making. Blah, Blah, Blah.

From a purely capitalistic view, it makes sense to sell tobacco products and capitalize on that profit.

 

[confettiflyer]

I think once you start removing cigarettes, you just might go down that slippery slope of playing the "strong armed parent." I think keeping them out of sight and behind the front counter are sufficient.

You can make an argument to start banning alcohol sales because they contribute to drunk driving and ED visits, then bullets and guns (Wal-Mart) because they can also cause ED visits, then weight loss supplements because they can keep someone from good exercise/diet habits, and then heck for the same reason, all those fatty cheese ball snacks and high sodium frozen food in the freezer department.

I hate smoking as much as the next person, and man do I HATE smoking...but I don't think we should outright ban the sale of things that are bad for our health. This world would be a boring place if we started to do that...

Hell, I'm a bigger fan of taxing the HELL out of cigarettes. Just give people the choice with strong incentives. Banning it at CVS when you can get it at the gas station on your next stop of errands won't do jack squat.

 

[TonyRx]

Confettiflyer, you bring up some valid points...I agree.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

Selling cigarettes in a pharmacy seems so backwards and weird to me. Pharmacies are places where people go to seek resources that will improve and maintain their health.

Whats next? A mini bar in the corner. Maybe some lap dances in the back room. It's all about being greedy and being a capitalistic pig right?

I remember the first hospital I worked at had a smoking area right outside the cancer center's doors. How friggin insulting to those who were going there fighting for their life because some capitalistic corporate pigs led them to believe that smoking wasn't bad for their health just so they could make some extra cash. I wrote a very long letter to the president of the hospital about how I felt and 2 months later the smoking section was removed. About a year later the entire hospital campus adopted a smoke free policy. I'm sure that wasn't because of me but because that is what most hospitals around here (southern CA) are doing.

 

[confettiflyer]

because some capitalistic corporate pigs led them to believe that smoking wasn't bad for their health just so they could make some extra cash.

You're giving tobacco companies too much credit. Whatever happened to personal responsibility in this country?

Oh no, I'm obese because KFC made me eat the fried chicken!
Oh no, I have cancer because Philip-Morris made me smoke!
Oh no, I'm a compulsive gambler because they opened a casino down the street!

Oh my favorite....oh no, my kids aren't smart! It's my teacher's fault!

Give me a break! I'm all for banning smoking indoors since that infringes upon my right to clean air, and I'm all for disclosing how many calories are in my Big Mac (like in NY), but it'll be a sad day when we become a nanny state. It's already sad we're blaming everything under the sun except ourselves. Time to listen to Obama and accept personal responsibility.

/soapbox

 

[ItsOverZyvox]

Yes, we should definitely sell Tabasco sauce at every pharmacy. I sprinkle Tabasco on my breakfast oatmeal.

Oh...tobacco..

 

[bacillus1]

I thought this was America!

but seriously, people have the liberty to do whatever they want to their bodies (be it good or bad) & we as capitalists should provide the consumer with what they want. if anything you're just throwing money out the window by not stocking cigs because they will just get them somewhere else & NOT come into your store to buy them, along with other goods that they may purchase while in your store.

Alright, let's also sell perks OTC!

But a pharmacy is a HEALTHCARE provider. Do we really want to be hurting people by selling them tobacco? I don't think that's healthcare.
We're trying to help these people.

 

[confettiflyer]

Alright, let's also sell perks OTC!

But a pharmacy is a HEALTHCARE provider. Do we really want to be hurting people by selling them tobacco? I don't think that's healthcare.
We're trying to help these people.

So you therefore must agree that the entire frozen food section and snack food aisle (and all of their high sodium glory) of your local pharmacy should be scrapped, since you could argue that these foods contribute to HTN and dyslipidemia the same way tobacco causes cancer.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

So you therefore must agree that the entire frozen food section and snack food aisle (and all of their high sodium glory) of your local pharmacy should be scrapped, since you could argue that these foods contribute to HTN and dyslipidemia the same way tobacco causes cancer.

While frozen food section and snack food aisles can be part of a healthy diet. . ., I have yet see the same claims for tobacco.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

You're giving tobacco companies too much credit. Whatever happened to personal responsibility in this country?

Oh no, I'm obese because KFC made me eat the fried chicken!
Oh no, I have cancer because Philip-Morris made me smoke!
Oh no, I'm a compulsive gambler because they opened a casino down the street!

Oh my favorite....oh no, my kids aren't smart! It's my teacher's fault!

Give me a break! I'm all for banning smoking indoors since that infringes upon my right to clean air, and I'm all for disclosing how many calories are in my Big Mac (like in NY), but it'll be a sad day when we become a nanny state. It's already sad we're blaming everything under the sun except ourselves. Time to listen to Obama and accept personal responsibility.

/soapbox

As much as personal responsibility comes into play, are you kidding me that tobacco companies did not trick consumers into using their products? I mean they are losing lawsuits left and right for a reason.

1. Tobacco companies either hide, ignored health claims, or published their own reports to confuse the public on the dangers of smoking. This was a big thing a few decades ago. Also lets not forget how in the past, they promoted cigarettes as health beneficial.

2. Direct advertisement to teenagers back then and to third world countries now without providing the cons of it. FTC requires all ads to show both the benefits and cons of each product and require that no ad misleads the consumer implictly or explicitly.

3. Playing around with averages of nicotine to increase addictions. For example, their cigarette packing will say average of 2 mg per cigarette. One month, they will make cigarettes with 2 mg so people will be used to smoking 2mg qd. The next month, they will make their cigarettes with 1 mg so that people need to smoke 2 to get their nicotine intake. Then the next month, 3 mg so that people who are used to smoking 2 cigarettes from the last month intaking 6 mg total. A report showed that nicotine levels in cigarette increased by at least 10 percent over a few years.

 

[vinny808]

I fully agree with confetti. He makes good points.
Also, I'd rather sell tobacco products at a pharmacy where hopefully where more people will care about the well being of the smoker than accross the street, to just some cashier that makes a min. wage and could care less about the well being of that person. At least, this gives the chance for pharmacist to educate the users. Because, cigerettes are everywhere, If you aren't going to sell them, someone else will. That person will get their cigerettes regardless of whehter you have it or not.

I personally hate smoking, and hate smelling cigerette smoke. Hate it with a passion.

In this day and age, I am sure majority of the population are well aware of the heath risk by using cigerettes. Maybe in our parents age, they were tricked. But not anymore. I know lots of people that smoke even though they know about the risk. It was their choice.

 

[Megas]

I would like to put cigarettes behind the counter with the tramadol, oxycodone and gabapentin.

 

[Pharmavixen]

Where I live, they made it illegal to sell cigarettes in stores with pharmacies years ago. A pharmacies' association said that there would be reduced access to pharmacy services because all these pharmacies would be closing, and that didn't happen; in fact, in the year after smokes were outlawed, more pharmacies opened in Ontario than the year before.

Argue what you will about junk food being sold in pharmacies, the nanny state, etc; ciggies have a devastating impact on health, being a major risk factor for CAD, cancer, and COPD.

If pharmacists make money off the sale of smokes, we are tacitly approving of the use of this product. It is not professional for pharmacists to sell cigarettes, end of story.

 

[Megas]

Where I live, they made it illegal to sell cigarettes in stores with pharmacies years ago. A pharmacies' association said that there would be reduced access to pharmacy services because all these pharmacies would be closing, and that didn't happen; in fact, in the year after smokes were outlawed, more pharmacies opened in Ontario than the year before.

Argue what you will about junk food being sold in pharmacies, the nanny state, etc; ciggies have a devastating impact on health, being a major risk factor for CAD, cancer, and COPD.

If pharmacists make money off the sale of smokes, we are tacitly approving of the use of this product. It is not professional for pharmacists to sell cigarettes, end of story.

What if people needed a prescription for this addictive substance?

 

[fungikid]

What if people needed a prescription for this addictive substance?

Pharmacies still sell nicotine replacement therapies.... I'm confused at what you are trying to say.

 

[ChemWhiz101]

What if people needed a prescription for this addictive substance?

It won't go through - Doctors don't want to be sued for giving their patients lung cancer, high blood pressure, and cruddy arteries.


I would sell alcohol at my pharmacy, and maybe marijuana if it was legal (news: Obama has decided to stop enforcing Supreme court ruling against medical marijuana) but not tobacco.
We at least know that alcohol can clear out arteries - red wine at least. And I personally find that a legitimate amount of Alcohol (one to three glasses) is no more damaging than 2 - 8 caplets of Tylenol over a 12-24 hour period.

 

[Megas]

Pharmacies still sell nicotine replacement therapies.... I'm confused at what you are trying to say.

I'm sorry you were confused, I wasn't trying to say anything, it was a simple conversational question to a fellow practicing pharmacist. A pharmacist is opposed to selling cigarettes, they are destructive. They become available by Rx only. Would you sell them then? Should have done a pm.

 

[Pharmavixen]

I don't see how smokes would become a prescription drug.

 

[confettiflyer]

cigs were synergistic with some drug, i forgot which one.

but i mean really, just because an item is stocked by a pharmacy doesn't make it "endorsed" by the pharmacist behind the counter. If you stop stocking cigarettes on this notion, then you better pull all that "male enhancement" vitamin junk and liquor from your store as well.

 

[thaliagoo]

I thought this was America!

but seriously, people have the liberty to do whatever they want to their bodies (be it good or bad) & we as capitalists should provide the consumer with what they want. if anything you're just throwing money out the window by not stocking cigs because they will just get them somewhere else & NOT come into your store to buy them, along with other goods that they may purchase while in your store.

I like this argument. Besides only 10% of smokers get cancer. 90% of smokers can smoke 2 packs a day and still be fine. I don't see smoking as any more harmful than Dreyer's ice cream in the freezer section.

I'm not going to tell people how to live their lives. I'd be happy to help people quit smoking, but I'm not if they don't want to quit. Next thing I know, we'll be refusing Plan B and birth control...

 

[Printo]

I guess we should stop selling chocolate bars, potato chips & twinkies at pharmacies too. We should stop selling alcohol also. A hostess cupcake is far more harmful to your health than a cigarette. We cannot bubble-wrap the world for everyone. Let them make their own decisions. We are not harming people who smoke cigarettes, they are choosing to do that to themselves. We are there to provide help to people to improve their health outcomes and their lives, not force them to. Perhaps we should ban cars & airplanes because people die from using those things too...

Its a shame when someone smokes but we are not big brother and this is not a nanny state...yet.

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

I guess we should stop selling chocolate bars, potato chips & twinkies at pharmacies too. We should stop selling alcohol also. A hostess cupcake is far more harmful to your health than a cigarette. We cannot bubble-wrap the world for everyone. Let them make their own decisions. We are not harming people who smoke cigarettes, they are choosing to do that to themselves. We are there to provide help to people to improve their health outcomes and their lives, not force them to. Perhaps we should ban cars & airplanes because people die from using those things too...

Its a shame when someone smokes but we are not big brother and this is not a nanny state...yet.

 

[Pharmavixen]

cigs were synergistic with some drug, i forgot which one.

Cigs induce CP450 1A2.

 

[johnep34]

Pharmacies in UK not allowed to sell tobacco or alcohol. Easily cicumvented by stores, they simply say only the health counter and dispensary constitutes the pharmacy. They can then sell whatever they like in rest of store.

Actually tobacco always sold from a counter and not on self selection. This is to stop 'shrinkage'.
johnep