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CVS becomes first big US drugstore chain to drop tobacco

Perotista said:
Simple enough, to die hard Republicans the president is evil, to die hard Democrats he is a Saint. Neither are able to see through their deep colored red or blue glasses that the president is neither. I believe the CEO of CVS did it because he thought it was the right thing to do.
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Good morning Pero - I don't disagree with what you've posted here, but I think it's a little more likely that the CEO of CVS made the decision because it was the right business and profit decision, not for any particular altruistic reason. If it was "the right thing to do", it would have been done back in the 70's and 80's (if CVS was around then) when it first became apparent that tobacco had serious negative impacts on user health.
 
CanadaJohn said:
Big tobacco, at least here in Canada, has been diversifying for some time now - they won't be gone anytime soon, for two very good reasons. 1. The tax revenue from tobacco sales keeps many jurisdictions in revenue, and 2. Who better to take over large scale production and distribution of medical and recreational marijuana.
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If you're equating marijauna with tobacco. But in context, big "tobacco" will be gone.
 
Montecresto said:
If your equating marijauna with tobacco. But in context, big "tobacco" will be gone.
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Unless tobacco products are outlawed worldwide, and not just sales opportunities and location usage here in North America, I don't see big tobacco ever going anywhere. North American tobacco products are big business world-wide and two facts are undeniable - in North America, there is a trend upwards of young people smoking, unfortunately, and in Europe and Asia, smoking continues to be a very accepted activity, particularly in Asia.
 
CanadaJohn said:
Unless tobacco products are outlawed worldwide, and not just sales opportunities and location usage here in North America, I don't see big tobacco ever going anywhere. North American tobacco products are big business world-wide and two facts are undeniable - in North America, there is a trend upwards of young people smoking, unfortunately, and in Europe and Asia, smoking continues to be a very accepted activity, particularly in Asia.
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Did you see the thread up on smoking in Jordan? The trend in Istanbul? Or post No. 69?
 
year2late said:
This reminds me of the doom and gloom that was aggressively bantered about when smoking was eliminated in dining establishments.

My guess is that they will find something to fill that hole.
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There is a huge difference between CVS making a business decision. Whether it is good for the bottom line or not is up to their customers. And on the other side the government forcing restaurants to stop a practice that may or may not affect their bottom line.
 
X Factor said:
And junk food doesn't?
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No, when taken in moderation junk food will not kill you. Smoking product however do, even when taken in moderation.
 
Montecresto said:
Did you see the thread up on smoking in Jordan? The trend in Istanbul? Or post No. 69?
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That's fair - but the statistics can be misleading when one also takes into account the amount of unregulated sales and distribution - in North America, particularly through native reserves and also due to smuggling to avoid excessive levels of taxation - and the amount of "alternate" forms of smoking and products that are on the rise.
 
Peter King said:
No, when taken in moderation junk food will not kill you. Smoking product however do, even when taken in moderation.
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Depends on the individual - and we all die of something, sometime - free choice has it's consequences, which is as it should be.
 
CanadaJohn said:
Depends on the individual - and we all die of something, sometime - free choice has it's consequences, which is as it should be.
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True that. But it is also true we all often end up paying for those choices. It may not be right, but that is the reality. And it won't change.
 
CanadaJohn said:
Good morning Pero - I don't disagree with what you've posted here, but I think it's a little more likely that the CEO of CVS made the decision because it was the right business and profit decision, not for any particular altruistic reason. If it was "the right thing to do", it would have been done back in the 70's and 80's (if CVS was around then) when it first became apparent that tobacco had serious negative impacts on user health.
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Probably so on the business decision. But I doubt very much if the same CEO or board members were around in the 70's and 80's that are in charge today. I haven't the faintest idea how long this particular CEO has been in charge, but I think it is a safe bet that there has been a lot of change over in board members throughout the years.
 
Good for them. Can't argue with a company sticking to principles over profit.
 
Obama personifies evil to the RW noise machine.
Superfly said:
Why do people think Obama is forcing anyone to do this. Obama is a smoker (or was until a couple months ago).
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CanadaJohn said:
That's fair - but the statistics can be misleading when one also takes into account the amount of unregulated sales and distribution - in North America, particularly through native reserves and also due to smuggling to avoid excessive levels of taxation - and the amount of "alternate" forms of smoking and products that are on the rise.
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I'm just saying that its my opinion, based on the trends in the direction, ALL TRENDS, including the one where doctors and lawyers and bankers and Generals were once "cool" to smoke, and now smokers are just one step above pedophiles in their esteem! Smoke? Have a smoking friend or spouse, you'll see the disrespect that smokers receive these days. CVS' CEO is making a really very low risk political move that I believe will not hurt his bottom dollar one bit. AND! It's not the second, or the one ninetieth or the last national or international chain that bans tobacco sales that makes all the headlines and gets all the talk, but the first, my money says Walmart will be there and it will be dominoes! You can quote me CJ.
 
Gipper said:
Good for them. Can't argue with a company sticking to principles over profit.
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Even the CEO who made the decision didn't say it was about principles!
 
Montecresto said:
Even the CEO who made the decision didn't say it was about principles!
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It's always profit or principle. Everything a business does can be put into one of those 2 categories.

If he thinks that a strong stance will entice new business that agree with his basis, then it's a profit motive.
 
Gipper said:
It's always profit or principle. Everything a business does can be put into one of those 2 categories.

If he thinks that a strong stance will entice new business that agree with his basis, then it's a profit motive.
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Right! The CEO (unless he also happens to be the owner of CVS) isn't going to be allowed to make such a decision based on principle, unless that is, it just happens to dovetail with profit. Otherwise principle may only be the stated reason so you get the best of both worlds. In the case of Chick-Fil-A the owners were projecting their principles at the risk of bottom line.
 
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What is an example of a buisness making a decision that was based on principle? When you said that I have been trying to think of an example, and cant.
Gipper said:
It's always profit or principle. Everything a business does can be put into one of those 2 categories.

If he thinks that a strong stance will entice new business that agree with his basis, then it's a profit motive.
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mak2 said:
What is an example of a buisness making a decision that was based on principle? When you said that I have been trying to think of an example, and cant.
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Let's go to Chick-Fil-A as mentioned above. They're not open on Sundays. I tend to think that their desire to "balance work and family life" (the idea behind this) counteracts with the profit motive. I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't suffer a loss by opening on Sunday.
 
Hummm good example. I can think of no other reason to close on Sunday, and the Chruch people are his crowd too.
Gipper said:
Let's go to Chick-Fil-A as mentioned above. They're not open on Sundays. I tend to think that their desire to "balance work and family life" (the idea behind this) counteracts with the profit motive. I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't suffer a loss by opening on Sunday.
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mak2 said:
Hummm good example. I can think of no other reason to close on Sunday, and the Chruch people are his crowd too.
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Yup, and religion tends to also align with principle (even though I disagree with the premise, usually).

Think of private religious schools. There's a Baptist college about an hour from me that doesn't accept financial aid and, as you can imagine, can only maintain a very limited student body. Hell, the whole campus could fit inside my old school's football stadium (a little exaggeration, but really not as much as you think). They're acting on religious principle, which I imagine would really hurt their ability to make a buck by opening it to public coffers and not limiting themselves to religious alumni and rich southern conservatives who think that it's "a better education".
 
It was quite a long time ago when I read that the body could clean about FIVE cigarettes worth of tar and nicotine a day.
Not that there is an average body or that I'm defending smoking.
Peter King said:
No, when taken in moderation junk food will not kill you. Smoking product however do, even when taken in moderation.
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Though losing $2 billion in sales a year, the profit margin is said to be lower on cigarettes from what I'm listening to.
Besides, the $2 billion is only 1.5% of total sales for CVS.
They plan on replacing cigarettes and smoking stuff with a whole new line of healthy products designed to get off smoking .
 
And you are correct that plenty of people smoke and don't die from it.
Here in Illinois, we're real smart about driving "smokers" across state lines to casinos with loss of tax revenues.
As if Illinois couldn't have designed a place for smokers inside.
It is common to go by any bar on the weekends and see a crowd outside the bar puffing.
High cig taxes have also increased the black market between Indiana and Illinois .
jonny5 said:
I think you mean 'might'. Plenty of people smoke and dont die from it.
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mak2 said:
What is an example of a buisness making a decision that was based on principle? When you said that I have been trying to think of an example, and cant.
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As a matter of current issues, if a business pulled its advertising for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, based on the Russian law related to "promotion of gays", that would be construed as a decision based on principle that could also be profitable. I can't think of any business that has pulled their advertising, however.
 
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