A FEW THOUGHTS

By Rich Luongo

Commendations go to Wegman's supermarkets for its recent announcement that it would discontinue the sale of all tobacco products in its stores. Admittedly, cigarettes and similar products are good sellers for the chain; nevertheless, it was felt the health benefits in getting rid of them outweighed the profit margin.

You don't hear that too often from major food corporations — or from many other corporations — that the public good is more important than the bottom line.

It remains to be seen how many other supermarkets follow suit, and that goes for large and small chains and even convenience stores.

Now let's hear something similar from the major pharmacy chains. How about getting rid of tobacco and everything associated with tobacco since your stores are in the health business…ostensibly? After all, you dispense prescription drugs and OTC medicines and sell various medical appliances and devices and peripheral items designed to keep people healthy and alive. It seems a contradiction in your mission to also offer for sale items that can and will kill you.

If pharmacy chains were really concerned about the health of their customers, why are tobacco products sold up front, at the register, in plain sight of everyone as they walk in, while the pharmacy department is in the back of the store, out of sight of just about everyone? If the health of the customer was really at the top of the priority list for these chains, tobacco would be sold in one of the side aisles, away from everyone and the pharmacy section would be moved up front.

But it's all a merchandising thing. You walk through the aisles distracted by all the candy and dolls and cards and every other item you can think of and you fill your cart with goodies before getting to the pharmacist to pick up your life-saving prescription.

Smokers, on the other hand, simply want to pluck down their $6 for a pack of cigarettes and get out as quickly as possible to puff away. For this reason, the tobacco is up front and so the clerks can keep an eye on the inventory. It's so easy for someone to be tempted to walk out with a few packs, considering the astronomical costs of a smoke these days. However, there are signs — albeit small — on the front doors admonishing any adult who tries to buy cigarettes for minors.

It's a crime.

So is selling the junk.

The author is a former editor of the Haddon Herald, a feature editor for The Collingswood Retrospect. He was also adjunct teacher at Camden County College. Presently he is a freelance writer for a number of newspapers in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area. Starting this week Mr. Luongo will be writing op-ed articles for ClearysNoteBook