Last updated on February 22nd, 2016 at 02:47 pm
A new survey by e-cigarette and vaporizer company V2 examines the impact of CVS’s decision to stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products. The survey focused on several aspects of the CVS decision, which was implemented in fall 2014, including smokers’ reactions, how their lives have changed since and substitute points of purchase.
The survey found that 33 percent disagreed with the decision by the drugstore chain to stop selling tobacco products, while 24 percent agreed. The majority group (43 percent), however, said they were “neutral” about the change.
More than half of respondents (52 percent) said the move by CVS has impacted their ability to purchase cigarettes regularly. Out of that group, 73 percent called the impact manageable, stating that “buying cigarettes is now harder but I have other options,” and 27 percent said it made buying them “much harder.”
When asked to identify where they are buying cigarettes now that CVS has stopped selling tobacco products, “gas stations” were the No. 1 choice. Walmart and Walgreens tied at second, while third was a two-way tie between 7-Eleven and a local store (not part of a chain). The top five was rounded out with dollar stores and Rite Aid.
“Gas stations, in our survey, cover a wide range of c-store retailers and brick-and-mortar brands,” said Adam Kustin, VP of marketing at V2. “It’s no secret that most cigarettes are sold in this channel. With CVS halting their sales, c-stores are getting additional customers. Another factor to consider is that gas prices across the country are at a 10-year low, meaning stations are seeing more business and transaction volume, with cigarette sales getting a boost secondarily.”
CVS still offers tobacco and smoking alternatives; however, stores do not currently sell electronic cigarettes as part of that offering.
When asked if CVS should offer electronic cigarettes and vaporizers as a like-for-like alternative to traditional combustible cigarettes, the majority (51 percent) said that they should; 20 percent were undecided and 28 percent said no.
“According to the data, most smokers want these devices available to them as options in CVS stores and other retailers,” Kustin added.
The study polled 300 cigarette smokers across the U.S. from Feb. 8-12, and all respondents had previously purchased cigarettes from a CVS location.
Our Long’s was bought by CVS, and we used to spend regularly there – but cigarettes were one thing we did not buy there, though we have smokers in the household. CVS ruined Long’s in my opinion, and we rarely go there. However, their decision to stop selling cigarettes seems like at least partly a publicity stunt in the name of anti-smokerism, and certainly not because they care about consumer health. They sell stop-smoking patches and other dangerous pharmaceuticals and they sell alcohol. Haven’t been there in a long time, but it was a very popular place to buy alcohol.