 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Anh Le, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, and Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, 530 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, (415) 476-9403, anhle213@yahoo.com and Lisa A. Bero, PhD, Institute for Health Policy Studies, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, and Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, 530 Parnassus Avenue, Suite 366, Box 1390, Library, San Francisco, CA 94143.
Background: Pharmacists are health care professionals – dedicated to promoting health and wellness. Yet, many chain pharmacy retail outlets sell cigarettes, while at the same time sell non-prescription and prescription medications for smoking cessation and to treat diseases caused by cigarette smoking. Economic pressures from chain pharmacies force pharmacists into this ethical dilemma, a problem that exists nationwide. Selling tobacco at pharmacies presents an ethical and professional contradiction for pharmacists. Our research examines how the tobacco industry has pressured pharmacists to sell tobacco products, and reveals the relationships between the tobacco industry and pharmacies.
Methods: Forty millions tobacco industry documents were released as a result of the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. We searched the tobacco industry websites, and the U.C.S.F./Legacy Tobacco Documents Library (http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/) using search terms including, “Pharmacies,” “Drug Stores,” “Philip Morris,” “RJR,” “Rite Aid,” and “Walgreen.”
Results: These documents describe the economics of selling cigarettes at pharmacy retail outlets. Also, they show the industry’s marketing and promotion strategies; lobbying and policy activities; efforts to recruit pharmacies to oppose tobacco control legislation; and corporate ties to pharmacies.
Conclusions: We need to educate pharmacists, pharmacy students, the public health community, and pharmacy consumers, about the role of the tobacco industry in pressuring pharmacies to sell their lethal products; organize community and statewide mobilization campaigns to address the issue of tobacco sales at pharmacies; recognize and reward pharmacies which do not sell tobacco; support legislation banning tobacco sales from pharmacies; and work to bring this public health issue into the legislative arena.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Pharmacies, Tobacco Policy
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.