Community Chat

[Abrowneyegirl]

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@godi wrote:

I was surprised that the CVS stores in California sell alcohol.  They won't sell cigarettes but they will sell alcohol?  Makes no sense to me. 

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I so agree!  

The problem is that alcohol sales makes cigarette sales seem like PENNIES in a bucket.  Not selling cigarettes to make a 'health statement' is easy to do and gets great publicity and media buzz and does not hurt their pocket.    Alcohol sales......TOO MUCH money at stake, no worth the publicity.  

[KingstonsMom]

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@Libbylady wrote:

A friend works part-time at CVS and was thrilled to be able to work the registers without that awful smell around her.

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Just curious, how does your friend smell "that awful smell" when the cigarettes are sealed?

[Stray]

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@Abrowneyegirl wrote:

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@godi wrote:

I was surprised that the CVS stores in California sell alcohol.  They won't sell cigarettes but they will sell alcohol?  Makes no sense to me. 

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I so agree!  

The problem is that alcohol sales makes cigarette sales seem like PENNIES in a bucket.  Not selling cigarettes to make a 'health statement' is easy to do and gets great publicity and media buzz and does not hurt their pocket.    Alcohol sales......TOO MUCH money at stake, no worth the publicity.  

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It is a business and they are making a health statement and promoting wellness which makes for good business.  but they actually will lose business.  Alcohol and cigarettes are two totally different products; alcohol and cigarettes were sold at CVS stores.  Alcohol will continue to be sold and cigarettes will not.  CVS loses money and business but shoppers will view them in a positive light.  Cigarettes are linked to cancer per previous post, alcohol under normal circumstances is not harmful to health and even advised by some doctors ie a glass of wine per day.  

[Nuttmeg]

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@millieshops wrote:

I hope CVS can continue to ban cigarette sales and find profit elsewhere. 

I shop my local CVS stores frequently and I can't even tell you whether they all sell alcohol, but they probably do assuming it's legal.  I just know that's not what I buy there nor do I remember seeing anyone at the registers paying for any, not even beer. 

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CVS Health is a billion dollar company. They do no need cigarette sales to make a profit.

[KingstonsMom]

The CVS stores where I live don't sell alcohol.

[Pearlee]

I think CVS' promotions of their mini clinics had something to do with the cigarette ban.

Maybe CVS felt like a hypocrite touting those clinics to make you healthier while still selling cigarattes.  I know the clinics existed before the ban, but I suspect they had something to do with each other because the ban came not too long afterwrads.  I remember getting all sorts of coupons and things for those mini clinics.

[JustJazzmom]

@Pearlee

This is partially correct-- because they do have mini clinics run by nurse practitioners, it was because of these clinics that cigarette sales were banned by CVS.

[SydneyH]

I stopped shopping there for another reason entirely, but I'm pretty sure they can't tell their employees not to smoke.  I see them outside quite frequently...........

[Kalli]

I'm not a smoker so their cig ban doesn't affect me.  However, cigs are still for sale elsewhere.  They chose a popular fight to look like "good guys".   Think it was a total pr move.

[biancardi]

I still shop at CVS and it is still pretty crowded and busy.

Maybe in the Boston area and surrounding cities, it is not an issue. MA only has 19% or 18% smokers in this state, so I doubt it hurt MA CVS stores that much.