Pharmacies in San Francisco that don't sell tobacco

B&B Pharmacy             1727 Fillmore Street                            94115
B&B Pharmacy             2655 Balboa Street                              94121
Farmacia Remedios    2481 Mission/20th Street                    94110
Joe's Pharmacy           5199 Geary/16th Avenue                     94118
Dave's Pharmacy        2001 Union St, Ste 104/Buchanan       94123
Pharmaca                     925 Cole/Carl                                        94117
Pharmacare                 445 Castro Street Market                    94114
BioScrip                       2262 Market/Noe                                  94114
MOMS Pharmacy        191 Golden Gate Avenue                    94102
Walgreens                   4128 18th St/Castro                             94114
MOMS Pharmacy        45 Castro, Suite 124                             94114
Pharmacies: Mobilizing to Remove Tobacco
Products from Chain Stores
Signers of our petition in support of tobacco-free pharmacies


The following people are concerned about the 23 findings below related to
tobacco sales in pharmacies.

Each person listed herein, supports* the California LGBT Tobacco Education
Partnership's policy initiatives for tobacco-free pharmacies.

*Note that we are not asking people to support a specific piece of legislation,
but rather seeking to educate and demonstrate support for the issue of
tobacco-free pharmacies.

  1. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States[1] and the leading risk factor contributing to the
    burden of disease in the world’s high income countries[2];
  2. In addition to its health impact, tobacco related death and disease has an economic impact.  In 1999, the economic costs
    of smoking in California were estimated to be $475 per resident or $3,331 per smoker, for a total of nearly $15.8 billion in
    smoking-related costs[3].  Those same costs in 2008 dollars would be $614 per resident or $4,310 per smoker for a total
    of nearly $20.4 billion dollars. [4]
  3. Twenty-three percent of San Franciscans have been diagnosed with high blood pressure[5], and the National Heart Lung
    and Blood Institute’s guidelines for the use of prescription drugs in the treatment of high blood pressure call for smoking
    cessation[6];
  4. Twenty percent of San Franciscans have high cholesterol[7], and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s guidelines
    for the use of prescription drugs in the treatment of high cholesterol call for smoking cessation[8];
  5. The American Diabetes Association’ standards of medical care in diabetes call for smoking cessation[9] in addition to
    prescription drug therapy;
  6. Thirteen percent of San Franciscans have asthma[10], and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s guidelines for the
    use of prescription drugs in the treatment of asthma call for avoidance of tobacco smoke[11];
  7. Through the sale of tobacco products, pharmacies convey tacit approval for the purchase and use of tobacco products
    sending a mixed message to consumers who generally patronize pharmacies for health care services.[12]
  8. In 1970, The American Pharmaceutical Association stated that mass display of cigarettes in pharmacies is in direct
    contradiction to the role of a pharmacy as a public health facility;
  9. The Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee for California, as well as the American Pharmacists
    Association, the California Pharmacists Association, and the California Medical Association have called for the adoption of
    state and local prohibitions of tobacco sales in drug stores and pharmacies[13];
  10. A majority (78%) of independently owned pharmacies in California have become tobacco free; however, tobacco products
    are still sold by 94% of chain drugstores[14],[15] ;
  11. Of the independently-owned pharmacies that are tobacco-free, 88% report they have experienced either no loss or an
    increase in business since removing tobacco from their shelves[16];
  12. An overwhelming percentage of California consumers (96.8%) indicate that they would continue to patronize their
    pharmacy or drugstore as often or more often if it stopped selling tobacco products[17];
  13. A large majority (72.3%) of California consumers are opposed to tobacco products being sold in drugstores and nearly
    one-half of California smokers (49.7%) disagree or strongly disagree that tobacco products should be sold through drug
    stores[18];
  14. Only 13.2% of chain drugstore pharmacists are in favor of tobacco products being sold in drugstores[19];
  15. In a 2003-2004 national survey of pharmacy students, only 3.5% were in favor of tobacco sales in pharmacies. These
    findings were aligned with the 2003 resolution of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy that encourages
    pharmacy schools to use only experiential sites that do not sell tobacco product[20]; and
  16. Pharmacies and drugstores are among the most accessible and trusted sources of health information among the public.
  17. Clinicians can have a significant effect on smokers’ probability of quitting smoking. [21],[22]
  18. Most health care institutions have adopted policies that have banned tobacco sales and created smoke free
    environments.  In spite of numerous resolutions and recommendations by state and national pharmacy organizations
    calling for pharmacies to not sell tobacco, some community pharmacies continue to sell tobacco products.[23]
  19. A study of 100 randomly selected San Francisco pharmacies found that in 2003, 61% of pharmacies sold cigarettes,
    significantly less compared to 89% of pharmacies in 1976. Most of this decrease was among independently owned
    pharmacies.[24]
  20. In a 2003 study of San Francisco pharmacies’ merchandising of cigarettes, 84% of pharmacies selling cigarettes
    displayed tobacco advertising.[25]
  21. According to the 2007 Rite Aid Annual Report, prescription drugs sales represented 63.7% of total sales in fiscal 2007.[26]
  22. Walgreen’s 2007 Annual Report documented prescription sales as approximately 65% of net sales in 2007.[27]
  23. Pharmacy sales of Safeway have been estimated at 7.5% of annual volume.[28] Costco’s prescription sales generated 1.5
    % of total revenue in 2002.[29]
Findings for prohibiting pharmacies
from selling tobacco products.
    May 2, 2008 article from the San Francisco Examiner

    Mayor aims to kick drug stores’ habit

    by Joshua Sabatini


    SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco would become the first city in the nation to ban the sale of tobacco in pharmacies if legislation
    that was quietly introduced by Mayor Gavin Newsom is approved.

    If the Board of Supervisors adopts the legislation, hundreds of pharmacies in The City would have to stop selling tobacco
    products — including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco — as soon as October.

    “This is a sensible measure to deal with health problems before they start, and it’s consistent with our prevention-focused efforts
    such as Healthy San Francisco and Shape Up SF,” Newsom said.

    A violation would carry steep fines, ranging from $100 to $1,000.

    The legislation says that “through the sale of tobacco products, pharmacies convey tacit approval of the purchase and use of
    tobacco products.”

    Public Health Department Director Mitch Katz, who would oversee the enforcement, said it is a “conflict of interest” for pharmacies
    to sell tobacco products. In some cases, he said, people go to the stores to buy medication to treat health complications brought
    on by smoking.

    Katz said the ban could reduce smoking as it creates another restriction that sends the message “smoking is bad.”

    In recent years, San Francisco has snuffed out smoking in restaurants, parks, transit stops and most bars.

    Walgreens spokesman Michael Polzin said the “biggest concern” about the proposed ban is how it would impact the sales of
    other products.

    The proposal is expected to pick up support from pharmacists.

    Michael Negrete, CEO of the Pharmacy Foundation of California, said a business promoting health should not “sell things that
    are hazardous to health.”

    Smokers seem to have a different outlook.

    Shamilla Jensen, who had purchased a pack of cigarettes from a Walgreens on Market Street, called the proposed law “silly.”

    “Isn’t this a country that touts our freedom?” she said. “Why can’t someone be free to go to Walgreens and buy a pack of
    cigarettes or not buy a pack of cigarettes?”

    A pharmacy is considered a business that has a state-licensed pharmacist on site selling prescription pharmaceuticals, which
    includes businesses such as Walgreens and Rite-Aid. The prohibition does not apply to general grocery stores or big-box stores.

    A Board of Supervisors committee could vote on the legislation in the coming weeks.
Results from the 2007 Castro Street Fair survey
Darlene Bahrs
Marcia Brown-Machen
Francisco O. Buchting
Robin L. Corelli
Bob Curry
Brian G. Davis
Dino Duazo
Elizabeth Emerson
Christine Fenlon
Lei-Chun Fung
David Giraldo
Louis Gonzales
Bob Gordon
Ted Guggenheim
Susana Hennessey Lavery
Alyonik Hrushow
Lisa Kroon
Mele Lau
Carol O. McGruder
Juan Patino
Delilah Raybee
Gloria Soliz
Kimberly Weich-Reusche
Julie Ann Yuen