I managed a drug store. I helped drug stores get financing by doing projections. I have had drug stores as tax clients for 2 decades. Other than that I have no idea what I’m talking about. They prescription business drives the profits (up to ,80%). The other floor sales are from prescription traffic. The walk-in business is location sensitive. A drug store in grand Central will do far more tobacco than a suburban drug store. There was a time when only pharmacies were open on Sunday and this gave them big advantage.
but you still make a profit from tobacco, so this is not about profits, this is not about health as there is a load of crap they could get rid of like soda, hair dye, candy etc.
This is about the Govt influencing a business and there will always be some who hate something whether it is soda, candy or tobacco and will agree on a ban , that is until their product gets banned.
It’s all about me me me today