Is it time to boycott CVS? The 'no tobacco' policy may be worse than you thought

[Rickajho]

Just becouse no one aproached you does not mean you were not noticed. What do you think the people who did notice thought? Dou you think your actions are hurting or helping the vaping cause? I will place my bet on hurting. Don't hide behind there is no rule against it. There is no rule against farting either but if you rip a big one in the middle of the store I don't think people will like it much.

Now back to the OP: CVS is cutting a lucrative product from there shelves to make a stand against tobacco. Maybe if they had done this 30 years ago we would not be discussing this now. I hope that vaping survives the attack on tobacco but if no vaping is the price we have to pay to a tobacco free wold then I guess I will have to find a new passion. Personaly I think the gov should drop the hammer on tobacco and leave vaping alone along with other smoking cessasion plans. If you feel the need to boycot someone why not try to organize a large boycot places that sell tobacco? Maybe they will then want to sell vape gear to recoup lost revenu.

That is so obfuscated on so many levels it all defies a response even.

 

[Rickajho]

I did my due diligence and shopped at CVS today, for the last time in what will be a long time I'm sure. On my way in I overheard a cashier saying to a customer that they will stop selling cigarettes as of Monday. I looked at the rows and rows of cigarette packs behind the counter and wondered what they're going to do with all of those if they can't sell them. They certainly invested a lot of money into purchasing them. Luckily for the customers, cigarettes will still be available at the Mobil right across the street (fat lot of good it does for CVS to stop selling them then...).

At one point during my shopping experience I did hear a quit smoking PSA, identical to the one Rickajho heard. However, when I went to make my purchase there was no sign anywhere asking for donations to the ALA, nor did the cashier ask me to upon checkout. I paid with cash, so I don't know if the credit card machine asks for the donation or not. It seems to me that they're not soliciting donations in all locations.

It's on the electronic touch pads as part of a credit/debit checkout process. I don't know if it is a solicitation at this point, but is is there for some reason.

 

[eyerhere]

It may prove it to you but you have no idea what that person is thinking when they walk away. I agree a reasonable person would agree it is not offensive. but in life it is not the reasonable people who make all the noise. I have been outside at a family function where my sister in law walk through a small cloud of vapor. Then she startedd coughing and waving her arms like I had just shot her in the face with a cloud from a cheap cigar. The only way to change someone's impression of vaping is to talk to them. otherwise you are just reinforcing their belief whatever that may be. After discussion with my sister in law about vaping she now lets me vape in her home. WIN 1 for vaping.

 

[KiMB00P]

I'm a pharm technician for Walgreens. Switch to Walgreens, haha. There's a few of us vapers there.

 

[sonicdsl]

Let's not get into a discussion/debate on whether indoor vaping, stealth or otherwise, helps or hurts "the cause". That's a topic for another thread in another part of the forum. Here, the topic is on CVS' policy and tactics.

Thank you

 

[readeuler]

I can't speak to CVS's position on e-cigarettes or their potential ties with nefarious "health" organizations, but I can try and relay my perspective on their cigarette policies.

I read a very good article a while ago about CVS's decision to stop selling cigarettes. Here's the link, for interested parties.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2107803

The article contends that, from a game-theoretic perspective, CVS voluntarily discontinuing cigarette sales is a pretty genius move.

They get first-mover advantage, and all the positive PR that hating tobacco brings.

It leaves Walgreens and Rite-Aid in an interesting scenario. They look bad compared to CVS, continuing to sell cigarettes, but don't get as many bonus points for being a follower, should another one of the big three also stop selling smokes.

Further, if a 2nd company follows CVS, the last to sell smokes would presumably get all the business of a certain smoking crowd.

So, it probably pays to get the good PR from being a first mover, and it would pay to be the only drug store selling smokes, but it would hurt to be the 1st (and presumably only) to follow in CVS's steps.

ETA: now I get it, considering this and their e-cig "information" on the site. They're quitting smokes, but using pharmaceuticals to get them through the cravings.

 

[jimivapr]

What's wrong with a drug store playing stop smoking messages if they choose? Seems like a good idea to me... smoking kills a lot of people.

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[Jman8]

Sorry, didn't see Sonic's message until after this was posted.

Still want to have a bet with someone on this thread who's message is apparently allowed to stand.

 

[Jman8]

I have been outside at a family function where my sister in law walk through a small cloud of vapor. Then she startedd coughing and waving her arms like I had just shot her in the face with a cloud from a cheap cigar. The only way to change someone's impression of vaping is to talk to them. otherwise you are just reinforcing their belief whatever that may be. After discussion with my sister in law about vaping she now lets me vape in her home. WIN 1 for vaping.

And the only way to have the discussion make sense with context is to have the vaping experience be demonstrated, which your little story proves.

With only talk, and no demonstration, then it is ANTZ words against ours. I'm willing to bet on who's messaging / propaganda will win the hearts and minds of mainstream public.

 

[Steamix]

Aviso numero uno - do your own research.
Like on this forum here when it comes to matters vaping.

Corporate hirelings are of course encouraged to direct enquiring customers towards their own line of products and within that, towards the products that have the best profit margin. Same maybe aware that the products on offer could be less than the optimum. But they've got a family to feed too...

Sometimes, it's a kindness when NOT asking too hard - might save someone from having to lie to you...

The place to ask the pointed questions is here. If a product is crap, you'll find out about it here for sure. Same with a good product or a good deal.

 

[Rickajho]

What's wrong with a drug store playing stop smoking messages if they choose? Seems like a good idea to me... smoking kills a lot of people.

<...>

You seem to be missing the point that those messages announce at the end they are brought to you by the CDC - that very same CDC that wants to severely restrict or eliminate vaping as an option to stop that smoking that kills a lot of people. If I listened to what the CDC has to say about vaping - and believed it - I would still be smoking. So...

As all of this policy at CVS is still in the rollout phase the question is on the table: Now that we have CDC sponsored Muzak messages in the air and at least mention of the ALA showing up on the card swipe displays at checkout - where is CVS going with this?

 

[dragonpuff]

You seem to be missing the point that those messages announce at the end they are brought to you by the CDC - that very same CDC that wants to severely restrict or eliminate vaping as an option to stop that smoking that kills a lot of people. If I listened to what the CDC has to say about vaping - and believed it - I would still be smoking. So...

As all of this policy at CVS is still in the rollout phase the question is on the table: Now that we have CDC sponsored Muzak messages in the air and at least mention of the ALA showing up on the card swipe displays at checkout - where is CVS going with this?

That's exactly it - the quit-smoking message "brought to you by the CDC" combined with the request for donations from the ALA, is a double whammy. It sounds like it's only a matter of time before they start bashing e-cigarettes in some way shape or form, whether it be in another in-store PSA, in signs, on TV advertisements, etc.

Even if they don't go that far, I don't feel comfortable continuing to shop at a store that endorses messages by the CDC. Between their blatant anti-vaping propaganda and their obvious lack of actual disease control despite their name (note the recent lost virus collection), I don't support the CDC, and I cannot in good conscience support any organization who openly endorses them. CVS just lost a good customer over this.

 

[AgentAnia]

I gave up on CVS years ago, because their prices weren't competitive. While I defend the right of any business to establish its own policy about what products to carry, I certainly won't patronize a business whose policies offend me (i.e. CVS), and will definitely not even enter a business that's going to bombard me with PSAs that attempt to control my lifestyle!

In-Store Public Service Announcements: The latest weapon in the ANTZs' social-engineering arsenal.

 

[rothenbj]

It may prove it to you but you have no idea what that person is thinking when they walk away. I agree a reasonable person would agree it is not offensive. but in life it is not the reasonable people who make all the noise. I have been outside at a family function where my sister in law walk through a small cloud of vapor. Then she startedd coughing and waving her arms like I had just shot her in the face with a cloud from a cheap cigar. The only way to change someone's impression of vaping is to talk to them. otherwise you are just reinforcing their belief whatever that may be. After discussion with my sister in law about vaping she now lets me vape in her home. WIN 1 for vaping.

Your sister in law needs some psychotherapy.

 

[AustinOwens]

Personally I don't shop at CVS and don't give two craps about there tobacco policy. I wouldn't waste my time boycotting them. Write a letter to your congressman about e-cig rights. Now that is time well spent.


Cloupor T5, Aspire Nautilus, Starship 1 by Space Jam

 

[UrKungFuNoGood]

gotta love the fake cough

that is one thing that really will get me ...... off in a nano second. it just lets you know right away the person is dishonest and willing to stoop to a low level to use fake pain or discomfort for sympathy. everything about their character is suspect after that. what else do they lie and exaggerate about? can't trust a single thing from them after that.

 

[twgbonehead]

gotta love the fake cough

that is one thing that really will get me ...... off in a nano second. it just lets you know right away the person is dishonest and willing to stoop to a low level to use fake pain or discomfort for sympathy. everything about their character is suspect after that. what else do they lie and exaggerate about? can't trust a single thing from them after that.

I coughed quite a bit when I started vaping, even on very low-performance gear.... If she really "walked through a cloud" it's surely not out of the question. It's not like she was on the other side of the room. And given the follow-up she certainly didn't sound like an unreasonable person.

ETA: In an attempt to get this back to the OP.

CVS is playing a carefully orchestrated chess game. They want a closer alliance with BP because they believe it will give them an inside advantage. They are working on expanding their pharmacy role to a wider "health-care-stop" approach. (They already give Flu and Shingles shots, for example).

They are dumping cigarettes because they expect to make up that (and more) by deepening their relationships with Pharma, Doctors, and Hospitals.

Don't kid yourself about it being "Good PR", that's just a side-effect. The real story is a behind-the-scenes move.

 

[Sucker_dad]

I have no issue with what I read. I will not be boycotting CVS any time soon.

 

[roosterado]

Theres A Walgreens 1 Block from my House. I do not have a car. They are going to put up CVS across there St from the Walgreens. There is a large grocery store with a large pharmacy dept[over the counter] 1 and 1/2 blocks away. I go to the grocery store.

 

[rothenbj]

I stopped at a local CVS after getting gas just to check it out. They were down to a few packs of generics priced at $3.60 I suppose to clear the shelves. There were messages being broadcast, but I could only hear them in the Pharmacy area and they were pretty low volume so unless it was subliminal, most wouldn't have heard them.

What I did notice were the aisles of junk food. That really needs to go if they're selling themselves as a health organization.