CVS To Stop Selling Tobacco Products At Its 7600 Stores

[JohnyMac]

I applaud CVS's gesture as it never made sense to me as to why a drug store sold tobacco products; However I would suspect with a loss of $2B to their bottom-line CVS stock will take a big dump over the next nine months or so.

Zero Hedge: CVS To Stop Selling Tobacco Products At Its 7600 Stores

Because Americans obviously can not be trusted with making the right, or any, decisions, without parental supervision, the CVS Caremark pharmacy chain has decided to do it for them. "CVS Caremark announced today that it will stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products at its more than 7,600 CVS/pharmacy stores across the U.S. by October 1, 2014, making CVS/pharmacy the first national pharmacy chain to take this step in support of the health and well-being of its patients and customers. "Ending the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS/pharmacy is the right thing for us to do for our customers and our company to help people on their path to better health," said Larry J. Merlo, President and CEO, CVS Caremark. "Put simply, the sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose." 

  warning!

Maybe CVS is doing this to hide a shortfall they foresee by year end. One of the oldest tricks in the book for a public company to do. They now can explain away their shortfall. Just some food for thought.

[crudos]

I haven't been in a CVS in a long time, but don't they also sell soda, chips, and other junk food?

[JohnyMac]

  yup crudos they do.  An makeup they try on rabbits before they release to the population.

[Well-Prepared Witch]

I'm of two minds about this.  On the one hand, I'm a non-smoker and I cannot stand cigarette smoke. We're having some local meetings at the VFW, which still allows smoking, and I come out of there reeeeking. Blech.  But, on the other hand, if you want to smoke in the privacy of your own home, or a club of like-minded folks (as opposed to a public place like a restaurant), you should be able to. 

I also agree it's incredibly hypocritical when they still sell high fat, high calorie junk. With the caveat that one step at a time. 

I do wonder about this decision for their business model.

[Reaver]

I'm of two minds about this.  On the one hand, I'm a non-smoker and I cannot stand cigarette smoke. We're having some local meetings at the VFW, which still allows smoking, and I come out of there reeeeking. Blech.  But, on the other hand, if you want to smoke in the privacy of your own home, or a club of like-minded folks (as opposed to a public place like a restaurant), you should be able to. 

I also agree it's incredibly hypocritical when they still sell high fat, high calorie junk. With the caveat that one step at a time. 

I do wonder about this decision for their business model.

Let me ask you this, how do you feel about people smoking on the road, or at a park or say in their car with the window down?

[JohnyMac]

In PA. it is up to the county to come up with smoking laws. Where my cabin is the law is no smoking in a restaurant (area) but smoking is A-OK in the bar area.

On occasion I will go to my neighbors pub to watch football (I do not have cable so no TV other than Sirius radio at the cabin). I can make it about 2 hours then MrsMac and I leave. Now I have ABSOLUTELY NO issue with this. The pubs clientele wish to smoke so who am I to judge.

Since MrsMac is now off cigarets (since August 5, 2013), she is very happy to sit there with her e-Cig and breath in all of the smoke. Me with asthma just enjoy the game till my body says, "It's time to leave."

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Reaver, again I'm of two minds.  I figure outside (unless you're talking close quarters like a fair or event) I really can't bitch too much about smokers.  I do know that when I worked for a big corporation before they made people start smoking in their cars I always felt like I had to walk the gauntlet of the smokers clustered around the door just to get to work.  It's selfishness, I admit.  I find cigarette smoke very unpleasant and it makes me cough, so when I can go places and not have to come out smelling of it or spend time breathing it in, I am happier.  But, I hate taking people's rights to make their own choices away. 

[JohnyMac]

  Wellie!

[brat]

Ex-smoker here. I don't have a dog in the hunt now. But if this wasn't "ordered by the regime" (future obamacare bailout promise) and was just the hypocritical private business decision, for image sake, then I think everyone who wants to buy cigs, just vote with your dollars and don't support them for anything. Sorta what I do now... I have every right to provide my dollars to stores that match my "beliefs", which includes only those business that do not fall prey to the "you are not responsible citizens" rhetoric.
 
Includes..... I

    No longer give Starbucks my money (anti-gun)
    No longer buy from Dick's sporting goods (anti-gun)
    No longer watching A&E (pushing the anti-christian agenda)
    No longer watching the major networks (Leftist Cheerleaders)
    No longer give money to Walmart, Johnson and Johnson, Levi Strauss and many more.

Want to vote with your dollars as you see fit and vote beyond the balletbox, you can check out 
https://www.2ndvote.com and their conservative shopper site. Be prepared to be surprised what your dollars are supporting !

[Outonowhere]

My personal opinion is that anytime the current administration "applauds" ANYONE I question the action and motives behind it. 

On the subject though I am a non-smoker but do hang around with people while they smoke outside.  The place I work at does not allow smoking even outside on their property which is their right (especially with what they do here).  While smoking cigarettes (especially with all the poisons that are in them now days) is a personal choice other people should not have to be subjected to involuntarily.  But on the other hand how far do we go?  No smoking in your car?  On your own property by the sidewalk in front of your house?  I also know of employers who are passing over smokers and are looking to in the future implement policies saying no employees can smoke, all in the name of health.  Believe you me that this as a private company is their right.  But how much of their decision is really theirs and not influenced by the .gov.  Tax breaks and incentives for "healthy" workers and no smoking policies as well as pulling funding for those who do not "cooperate".

[JohnyMac]

In the past 21 years I worked for two companies that openly stated they will not hire you if you smoked cigarets. The one I spent 19 years with didn't care if you smoked pot but would not hire you if you smoked cigarets.

On the application it clearly stated that "X was a nonsmoking company and they would not hire you if you smoked or used tobacco." Although I didn't smoke it kind of annoyed me as one of my colleagues, a VP of the company smoked. Hypocrisy in action! 

To what brat wrote:
...vote with your dollars and don't support them for anything. Sorta what I do now... I have every right to provide my dollars to stores that match my "beliefs", which includes only those business that do not fall prey to the "you are not responsible citizens" rhetoric.
 
Includes..... I

    No longer give Starbucks my money (anti-gun)
    No longer buy from Dick's sporting goods (anti-gun)
    No longer watching A&E (pushing the anti-christian agenda)
    No longer watching the major networks (Leftist Cheerleaders)
    No longer give money to Walmart, Johnson and Johnson, Levi Strauss and many more...

I do likewise and you covered many of the companies I chose not to do business with. Here are a few of my additions:

> Cheaper Than Dirt (Remember Dec 2012 after the mass murders in CT. when they ran an hid)
> The Congregational Church (Sweeping changes over the past 10 years that do not reflect our
    beliefs
> U.S. Airlines who has never and I mean never got me to a destination on time or without
   some kind of hassle
> I never use Google - I use DuckDuckgo for my search engine

 

[Well-Prepared Witch]

But many, if not all, of the smoking bans have been at a municipal, not federal level.  Many have been voted on by residents. CVS made a business decision, they weren't regulated out of selling tobacco.  This isn't Uncle Sam telling you smoking isn't allowed.  Not to mention the 2nd hand smoke issue - it actively poisons me when someone smokes near me.  Should they have the right to infringe on my health? 

It's funny what you say about voting with your dollars.  I patronize Starbucks because their support of gay rights is something I applaud, even if I don't agree with their position on gun rights.  However, they're a private company and if they don't want people bringing guns in their stores I can't blame them.  I hate Walmart because they are one of the biggest outlets for "made in China", they are crap to their employees, and they kill small business, but they sell guns and some people shop there because of that.  We all shop places for various reasons.  CVS made a decision based on business reasons - why sell something that kills half your clientele? Not to mention that cigarette sales were down over 30%, so it wasn't making them as much money.

[JohnyMac]

Yup Wellie, we all have our own reasons for voting with our dollars. That is pure American!

I do happen to agree with what brat wrote though, "My personal opinion is that anytime the current administration "applauds" ANYONE I question the action and motives behind it." 

The only thing I would alter in that statement is: "My personal opinion is that anytime the current any administration "applauds" ANYONE I question the action and motives behind it."

Now I have spent 30+ years in retail. I have worked for Strawbridge & Clothier, Haband, The Gap, West Marine and Cycle Gear. Never while working for all of those companies did they announce that they were eliminating a certain category of inventory that was running -30%. They phased out the category hoping that the customers who still bought said product, wouldn't notice it was being eliminated.

So do I think there was "some" politics behind the move...Yupper. If it quakes like a duck, walks like a duck then it is a duck.

Bottom-line, I don't give a rats ass other than as something to watch and follow.  I agree with you Wellie that any company, private or public, has the right to make legal policy within their own business.

Stay tuned... 

[Kentactic]

For the record Starbucks has given no stance on gun rights. They simply asked that people stop using their business as a soap box. Nothing wrong with a business wanting to stay out of politics. That means they had to tell people to stop carrying AK's into their store... sure no problem...

The reason I stay away from Starbucks is its a cesspool for liberals with red and purple hair. When I walk in I get that feeling like they cut the music and everyone turns to look at me. I dont have a laptop with me, my hair is a natural color and im a man wearing mens jeans... I stick out like a sore thumb. Plus they dont serve good food. Just retarded expensive coffee.

[ClayKerns]

I'm of two minds about this.  On the one hand, I'm a non-smoker and I cannot stand cigarette manufactured by ecigs manufacturers. We're having some local meetings at the VFW, which still allows smoking, and I come out of there reeeeking. Blech.  But, on the other hand, if you want to smoke in the privacy of your own home, or a club of like-minded folks (as opposed to a public place like a restaurant), you should be able to. 

I also agree it's incredibly hypocritical when they still sell high fat, high calorie junk. With the caveat that one step at a time. 

I do wonder about this decision for their business model.

Well I do agree with you.. Bad stuff is sold just to earn money..There must be strict ban on cigs and junk food..

[crudos]

I'm of two minds about this.  On the one hand, I'm a non-smoker and I cannot stand cigarette smoke. We're having some local meetings at the VFW, which still allows smoking, and I come out of there reeeeking. Blech.  But, on the other hand, if you want to smoke in the privacy of your own home, or a club of like-minded folks (as opposed to a public place like a restaurant), you should be able to. 

I also agree it's incredibly hypocritical when they still sell high fat, high calorie junk. With the caveat that one step at a time. 

I do wonder about this decision for their business model.

Well I do agree with you.. Bad stuff is sold just to earn money..There must be strict ban on cigs and junk food..

OR, a person could just not buy the 'bad for you' stuff. Welcome to the forum CK! 

[JohnyMac]

I agree with what Crudos just wrote, "OR, a person could just not buy the 'bad for you' stuff." I do not need .gov becoming my mommy.

On another note: Welcome ClayKerns to the forum. Great group of folks here. Don't forget to write a short intro in the Introduction board. 

[Burt Gummer]

OR, a person could just not buy the 'bad for you' stuff. Welcome to the forum CK! 

[thedigininja]

As a former 30 a day and now 3 a day smoker I have always agreed with separate smoking areas but I always have a problem with bans. We know it's bad for us, we're not stupid but let people decide for themselves. not to mention the damage it would do to the job market if were to suddenly halt ALL sales of tobacco products. I've already noticed how bad it's been since the stricter regulations kicked in here.

[JohnyMac]

MrsMac has not smoked cigarettes since August 5, 2013 when she had her back operated on. She now smokes those vapor cigarettes. Here is the company she uses: Eco-Cigs.

Although she at times still craves a real cigarette she is pretty happy with these. She uses them everywhere including restaurants and shows.

Another benefit is cost. She now spends about $15- vs. $80- or so a week.

[thedigininja]

I've considered going the vapour route but I have my concerns about them. I think I'll simply stick with the struggle to give up my vice.

[brat]

Yep, my name is brat, and I'm a vaper. So is the Ms. We both like them. We both still like cigars and the occasional cig. When we choose those, it's our choice. We know the risks, don't need no gov't to tell me I can't do it. Where'd I put my once banned Jack D.......

[rah45]

I think it should be a personal choice, though considering the risks associated with second-hand smoke, I fully support designated smoking areas in public areas. They don't want me shooting random objects in town, and I don't want random carcinogens entering my lungs.

[JohnyMac]

Rah45, do you grill using charcoal? You know where I might be going with this...

[brat]

My name is brat, and I'm a Weber charcoal griller. 

Jmac is hitting all the buttons.