CVS Stores to Stop Selling Tobacco

[natibo]

Read this in the news today. What a shame. It's always nice to have a drugstore that carries the popular blends (Captain Black et al.) just in case I'm out and about and running out of baccy. I hope Walgreens does not follow.

 

[virginiacob]

Just saw this on the news this morning as well. Interesting that CVS is the same drug store chain that had at least two of its pharmacies raided by the DEA for alleged abuses of prescription pain killers. Now I guess they want to take "the high road" by banning tobacco products! Wonder if their CVS pharmacies in Colorado will replace the tobacco shelves with cannabis?

 

[lurch76]

The hypocrisy from the anti tobacco crowd never ceases to amaze me.

 

[northernneil]

They have had a law up North that will not allow anywhere that sell pharmaceuticals to also carry tobacco. This has been in place for close to 10 years now. In fact, I seem to remember that being one of the first steps before tobacco prices sky rocketed. I hope that isn't the casse for you gents.

 

[lawmax3]

That stinks!

 

[lonestar]

I'm sure the decision is based more on declining sales and stale inventory that sits forever on their shelf. But they sure as hell aren't going to miss an opportunity to crow from the rooftops how great they are. Corporate Whore/Politics 101, make it "about the children".

 

[Perique]

I'll take stupid, market-share-losing corporate decisions for $1000, Alex.

 

[pitchfork]

Ryan,
+1

 

[phred]

Out here in CO, CVS is not a major player - we have Walgreen's and Rite-Aid, neither of which seem to stock anything pipe-related (at least in the stores I've been in since I started smoking a pipe). I've seen Zippo lighters for sale on Walgreen's website, but that's about it.
I prefer my local B&M anyway.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Well with the amount of cigarettes CVS sells, they're going to lose a lot of business.

 

[puffy]

Walgreens in my town hasn't sold pipe tobacco in some years.The last time I was in Rite-Aid they still did.That was probably a year ago though.A grocery store not far from my house sells some pipe tobacco.It's priced a bit high though.

 

[aristokles]

The manager of my local CVS told me this was coming two years ago. So what? If they think smokers are going to quit because they abandon 2 BILLION bucks in revenue to the competition then it's a good reason to avoid buying their stock.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

You won't catch me in a CVS anymore.

 

[tuold]

So it's ok to fund healthcare programs with tobacco money but not ok to actually sell tobacco in a drug store? :roll:

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I've heard other good points throughout the day. Alcohol can lead to liver damage. Will they next stop selling alcohol too? Sugary foods can lead to diabetes. Will they stop selling candy?

 

[cobguy]

Came on here to post this finding ... too late! lol
These were my first impressions as well:

If they want to have any credibility, they should get rid of the alcohol, sugary snack, unhealthy foods and sodas while they are at it.

Will they next stop selling alcohol too? ... Will they stop selling candy?

 

[spartan]

If this is interesting to you then you should read these reddit comments. Always a hoot.
http://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/1x2rea/cvs_stores_to_stop_selling_tobacco/
I like this guy's comment.

[–]dat_shermstick 28 points 5 hours ago

A company of this magnitude isn't voluntarily giving up $2bil in profit without a horde of lawyers, economists, and accountants feeding data to the CEO proving that doing so will result in a net increase in profitability. It's a publicly-traded company -- they don't do things because they feel like the right thing to do, they do them to make money.

Given that reality, I'd speculate it has to do with the multibillion-dollar contracts with insurance providers to establish some kind of bargaining advantage over Walgreen Pharmacy. Also, maybe something with the Minute Clinics versus Walgreen's Take Care Clinics. If the ACA forces more people to use them over their PCP, perhaps this will drive more traffic as well.

 

[docwatson]

It would mot be surprising to see Walgreens and Rite Aid follow suit in the near future. Just think of the tax loss for the states. Maybe they will make up for it with the legalization of marijuana.

Dip shites.

 

[lostandfound]

CVS put a store up directly across the street from a well established Walgreens where I live not too long ago. At any given time, there are roughly four times as many cars in the Walgreens parking lot as are in the CVS parking lot. Every time my girlfriend and I would pass the construction site on our way home, I would ask her if the people at CVS were total fools, or just unaware of the neighboring Walgreens. We never came to a definitive conclusion.

 

[lurch76]

I never bought anything from CVS that was tobacco related. The one here locally has a decent selection of OTC tobacco's a few Dr. Grabow, Missouri Meerschaum pipes, and good variety of cigars.