Today, San Francisco's city board of supervisors will vote on whether to bar cigarette sales at pharmacies and retail stores with in-store clinics that treat common ailments such as sore throats and sinus infections as of October 1. Opponents of the tobacco ban believe stores will get out of the clinic business if they are forced to choose between providing health care and selling cigarettes:"We do not understand how forcing retailers to choose between having an in-store clinic and selling tobacco products serves the broader goal of providing consumers with easier access to high-quality, affordable health care"Perhaps, Ms. Hansen-Turton, it's because healthcare is about commitment to real health, not just convenience and profit. Frankly, I can't think of a better way to promote sore throats and sinus infections than to sell cigarettes, too.
- Tine Hansen-Turton
Executive Director of the Convenient Care Association
-Wes
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5 comments:
In my case, the best way to promote sore throats and sinus infections would be to sell fresh flowers, particularly daffodils, hyacinths and roses. ;-)
Honestly, I don't particularly care whether my pharmacy is committed to "health" in the broader sense. As long as they have the drugs I need.
james -
I think the issue of concern involves selling cigarettes in the same venue as a in-store clinics, rather than pharmacies, per se. My understanding is that the proposed ban would NOT restrict sales in grocery stores or warehouse stores like Costco, but would affect stores like Wal-Mart which contains their Redi-Clinics.
While the initial legislation is intriguing, no doubt others might stand to profit from a shift of cigarette sales to other venues in the future - kind of like Whack-a-Mole: strike down one venue to see cigarettes pop up somewhere else.
San Francisco is sooooo out of touch with common sense. What's next -- candy? chips?
I expect that they will give up the one with the smaller profit - the clinic.
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