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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

"CVS spins end to tobacco...‏.‏" 'James "Kimo" Rosen

James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in
 Kapa'a with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby...

Above photo, Rosen at Rocky River Alaska 1984


CVS spins end to tobacco

Headlines similar to  this are  appearing in almost every major newspaper in the country," "CVS Renames Itself CVS Health as It Ends Sale of Tobacco ..."

If CVS and Longs are so concerned about health, why are shelves still stocked with alcohol and pharmacies still dispensing addictive prescription drugs? And do I dare mention the rows of high calorie snack food and sugary candy?

Cigarettes are one of the most heavily taxed consumer products in the United States. Federal, state and local governments collect more money from the sale of cigarettes than retailers, wholesalers, farmers and manufacturers combined. 

 By eliminating tobacco sales in 8,000 stores CVS is getting free editorial space in nearly every newspaper from The New York Times to the Garden Island, ad space that would've cost a bloody fortune. 

 My spin is that CVS has found a way to look good at the tail end of statistics already in free fall. And we fell for it.

 According to Gallop trends annual Consumption Habits poll, cigarette smoking has gone from a high of 45% percent of our nation smoking in 1955 to 20% in 2011. And it is still dropping. The promotional itself states that 18 million people smoke. 

Despite the millions of research compilations proving the deadly health effects of tobacco use, CVS continued pushing the product until now, with tobacco sales so low shelf space can be better used by more popular consumer purchases. 


P.S.  This blog was also  featured as an opinion article in 09-18-14 edition of the Honolulu Staradvertiser


Check out my opinion article in the 09-18-14 edition of the  Honolulu Star-Advertiser; I copy and pasted it below for those who do not have a subscription;  http://staradvertiser.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx


Tobacco ban at CVS a cynical maneuver

If CVS and Longs are so concerned about health, why are their shelves still stocked with alcohol and pharmacies still dispensing addictive prescription drugs?
And do I dare mention the rows of high-calorie snack food and sugary candy?
Cigarettes are one of the most heavily taxed consumer products in the United States. Federal, state and local governments collect more money from the sale of cigarettes than retailers, wholesalers, farmers and manufacturers combined.
By eliminating tobacco sales in 8,000 stores, CVS is getting free editorial space in nearly every newspaper, from The New York Times to the Star-Advertiser — ad space that would have cost a fortune.
Despite the millions of research compilations proving the deadly health effects of tobacco use, CVS continued pushing the product until now, with tobacco sales so low that shelf space can be better used by
more popular consumer purchases. James “Kimo” Rosen
Kapaa, Kauai
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