Martha Coakley backs AGs’ call to snuff smokes

http://bostonherald.com/ ^ | 03/18/2014 | Donna Goodison

[massmike]

A group of 28 state attorneys general are calling on Wal-Mart and other retailers to follow the lead of CVS Caremark and stop selling tobacco products in their stores with pharmacies — a move Massachusetts AG Martha Coakley backs but has not yet signed.

The group’s letters to Wal-Mart, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Kroger and Safeway said there is a “contradiction in having these dangerous and devastating tobacco products on the shelves of a retail chain that services health care needs.”

Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS said in February that it would stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products at its 7,600-plus stores by Oct. 1 — the first national drugstore chain to make the pledge.

Coakley didn’t join her New England counterparts in signing the letters because her office didn’t have the opportunity to fully review them before the deadline, said spokesman Christopher Loh, though he added, “We commended CVS Caremark for removing all tobacco products from its shelves, and we support this letter in urging these fellow retailers to voluntarily do the same.”

[RightGeek]

What will the libs do for tax revenue?

[Repeal The 17th]

“... There is no reason, in my opinion, for tobacco to be raised, sold or smoked. ...”
-
You could certainly have that opinion of a lot of stuff.
(reader, please feel free to make your own lists)

After all, who really gives a crap about that old ancient
obnoxious “pursuit of happiness” concept thingy, anyway.

That is just like, so, you know, uncool.

We should only be allowed to indulge in the things that
our keepers and overlords determine are wholesome for us.

[xrmusn]

Once they get rid of cigarettes, ‘they’ can target alcohol, sugar, soft drinks etc.

The ‘flip’ side is that when you go into a ‘drug store’ you will be able to locate products that WE are used to seeing there and not have to wade through groceries, sodas etal when looking for some bandages and aspirin.

Realize just there for the ‘convenience’ but just the same ‘old’ Woolworths without the soda fountain.

I guess they use the theory that if Grocery Stores want to sell Sundries, Sundries Stores can sell Groceries.

[Repeal The 17th]

There are 3 or 4 on there that surprise me.
(and another 3 that aren’t “states”)

[DJ Frisat]

Are we still subsidizing tobacco growers?

[DocJhn]

Looks like more profit for Fuel pumps and Indian Tobacco outlets.

[Secret Agent Man]

i am not a smokere but libtards, IT’S THE LAW OF THE LAND. MAYBE YOU SHOULD JUST LKEAVE YOUR RESPECTIVE STATES iF YOU DON’ T LIKE IT.

we have to treat the liberals with their own ‘logic’, it’s the only way they will learn. otherwise they get away with it and stay hypocrites.

[Sooth2222]

There is no reason, in my opinion, for tobacco to be raised, sold or smoked.

A lot of people like to consume tobacco.

I don't smoke, but I doubt very much that smoking 1 cigar a month will cause anyone much harm. Governments since the Romans have a perfect record of being completely unsuccessful at stamping out their citizen's vices.

[Repeal The 17th]

Are they demanding that Walmart, Kroger, Publix, and others
stop selling beer and wine and those nasty greasy potato chips?

...and what about bacon?
Oh, my God, I can’t believe they will allow them to sell bacon!

[cripplecreek]

Sounds like CVS is taking a big hit for a poor decision and is buying state intervention to cow the competition into following their poor lead...remember it’s Mass. and everything has a price.

The smoking ban in Michigan bars was primarily funded by Michigan Casinos who magically fell into a loophole by virtue of having the 10,000 square feet of floor space required to have a smoking area. The smallest businessmen of them all took the hit.

[Figment]

How are the voters in these states going to react when the tobacco cash cow is slaughtered and those taxes are shifted to the general populace?

[massmike]

I don’t know about the other states,but in Massachusetts they’ll just vote for more democrats that vow to make the rich “pay their fair share”......

[Yardstick]

...there is a “contradiction in having these dangerous and devastating tobacco products...

Oh, so we're concerned about contradictions are we?

How about the contradiction of a socialist 'Rat party existing in a country founded on individual liberty?

[Repeal The 17th]

I'm thinking about it this way:
... big screen TV's - totally unnecessary.
... those silly keurig coffee machines - who really needs them?
... motorcycles - a damn hazard and dangerous.
... bacon.
... potato chips.
... whole milk.
... "real" gasoline (DONE)
... incandescent light bulbs. (DONE)
... toilets that actually work. (DONE)
... washing machines that actually work. (DONE)
... health insurance that I like. (DONE)

[PLMerite]

“Are we still subsidizing tobacco growers?”

Subsidize in what way, other than to enable the gov’t at various levels to tax it and make billions?

[cripplecreek]

The subsidies amounted to something like a billion dollars between 1995 and 2012. Not much considering the revenue they generated.

That said I don’t want them subsidized either but if they and everybody else were free to do business, they wouldn’t need the welfare.

[dennisw]

These states are killing their revenues from tobacco sales. The solution will be state by state legalization of marijuana and the taxes that will flow from this

Cigarettes >>>>out!
Marijuana>>>>in!

[dennisw]

These states are killing their revenues from tobacco sales. The solution will be state by state legalization of marijuana and the taxes that will flow from this

Cigarettes >>>>out!
Marijuana>>>>in!

[Jack Hammer]

Tobacco is a no-no but marijuana is fine.

Oh, Brave New World.

Sign of the times.

[Arthur McGowan]

Isn’t Coakley some kind of crook? Besides being a Satan-worshiping baby-killer. Not that Satan-worship or baby-killing would offend Cardinal O’Malley and other Massachusetts Catholics.

I seem to remember Ann Coulter saying something about Coakley having been judged by Massachusetts voters as being morally unworthy to replace Ted Kennedy.