share: Walgreen's sues in order to be able to sell cigarettes
I think most of us find it ironic that drugstores sell cigarettes and even more ironic that you usually go to the back of the store for medication, and the cigarettes are available as you walk in the door!
Walgreens - one of the giants in the drugstore industry, is suing in order to be allowed to sell cigarettes. They are suiing the City of San Francisco. The City is working on making it illegal for pharmacies to sell cigarettes. The law goes into being on October 1.
Walgreen's is arguing that the law does not affect certain (other) grocery stores that also sell drugs and is claiming this new law to be unconstitutional.
The City of Boston is also considering a similar law.
I'd like to know how others feel about this new law and Walgreen's lawsuit. Is this law indeed unconstitutional? Don't companies have the right to sell something that is not illegal? If we don't want the product, we can just say no, right? Is the government intruding on our individual rights to purchase and use a product that is within legal boundaries? It may be stupid to smoke but we currently have the right to be stupid!
Or in a country where hundreds of thousands of us die every year from smoking related disease (not to mention those affected by second hand smoke), isn't it appropriate that pharmacies - the places who sell the products to make us well - lead by example and not also sell us the products that kill us?
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it is ilegal to commit suicide,corect?
June 21, 2009 - 12:21pmthen why shouldn't smoking be illegal? is it not killing yourself slowly when you smoke? isn't killin yourself suicide? i don't see how that can be loopholed
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Then what about the greasy foods you eat? Your killing yourself with that? You people who try to take other peoples pleasures away should be ashamed of yourselves!!
November 22, 2011 - 2:31pmThis is a really interesting question that I'd never considered before. A city is making a drugstore fight to sell something harmful. Fascinating.
It seems, though, that this is a really slippery slope. I think Walgreen's has a point. If grocery stores or discount stores also have pharmacies in them, why does the law pertain only to drugstores?
I hate smoking. My dad died of smoking-related illnesses, but it was seen as glamorous and cool when he was growing up. He quit as an adult, but the damage was already done. So I am not a fan or a friend of cigarettes in any way.
But it seems like San Francisco is saying "since a pharmacy is a store where you go for medicine that helps you be well, you may not sell something that leads to illness." And it seems like to keep the capitalist playing field equal, it should be true across the board -- if you sell prescription medicines, you don't sell cigarettes. Period.
Unfortunately, it seems like a company that might lead by example would most likely be the loser in this case. Though I can say that I for one would support -- with my pocketbook -- any company that took a stand like this. And I think there are a lot of others like me out there.
June 23, 2009 - 9:09am@anonymous Can I kill you?
December 12, 2009 - 11:55amAs much as I despise smoking-- the smell, the taste, and the harmful effects that come attached to every piece of stick in its box, Walgreens is going to fight for what makes them millions of dollars each year. I too find it ironic that they are a drug store but are actively selling one of the top killers in America and the one thing responsible for most of our illnesses. Unfortunately, they (like the rest of our businesses) are thinking with their pockets-- not with their hearts). I do believe that Walgreens will obviously suffer if they stop selling cigarettes and that's why they are doing everything in their power to stop it from happening. Business wise this makes perfect sense. Morally, not so much.
December 14, 2009 - 5:05am