If you‘re a smoker who shops at Rite Aid, you may have noticed some changes in recent years when it comes to the availability of cigarettes and other tobacco products. While purchasing a pack of smokes at the drugstore used to be common and convenient, Rite Aid and other major pharmacy chains have been gradually phasing out tobacco sales due to growing health concerns and shifts in corporate policies. So what‘s the current status of buying cigarettes at Rite Aid in 2022? Let‘s take a closer look at the factors behind the drugstore chain‘s evolving approach to tobacco.
Rite Aid‘s History of Selling Cigarettes
For most of its history since being founded in 1962, Rite Aid stocked cigarettes and other tobacco products as a standard part of its retail offerings. Tobacco has long been a major source of revenue for pharmacies in general. According to data from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), cigarette sales accounted for an average of 3.6% of total sales at pharmacies in 2016.
However, in recent years, there has been a growing movement among pharmacies to eliminate tobacco sales, led by CVS Health‘s landmark decision in 2014 to stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products at all CVS Pharmacy locations. With over 7,600 retail pharmacies, Rite Aid historically represented a major retail channel for tobacco companies and a convenient source of cigarettes for many consumers.
Rite Aid‘s Plan to Phase Out Tobacco Sales
In February 2020, Rite Aid made headlines when it announced that it was accelerating its plan to remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from all of its stores. The company set a target date of 2024 to complete the phaseout across its more than 2,400 locations in 18 states.
According to a statement from Rite Aid COO Jim Peters, the decision was based on the company‘s "commitment to promoting responsible access to tobacco products, while also acknowledging the contradiction inherent in selling tobacco in a retail pharmacy setting." Rite Aid noted that reducing the availability of cigarettes is an important step in combating tobacco use and improving public health.
Reasons Behind the Decision
There are a few key factors driving Rite Aid and other pharmacies to rethink their tobacco sales policies:
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Health impacts: Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, responsible for over 480,000 deaths per year. As pharmacies position themselves as health and wellness destinations, selling tobacco products sends a contradictory message. By eliminating cigarettes from their shelves, pharmacies can better align with their healthcare-focused mission and avoid being complicit in the negative health impacts of smoking.
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Changing consumer attitudes: Public opinion has shifted significantly against smoking in recent decades. With growing awareness of the health risks and the rise of smoking bans and restrictions in public places, cigarettes have become less socially acceptable. Many consumers now view pharmacies selling tobacco as a hypocritical practice that undermines their credibility as trusted healthcare providers. Getting out of the tobacco business allows drugstores to avoid negative perceptions and reputational risks.
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Regulatory pressure: The FDA and local governments have increasingly cracked down on tobacco sales, particularly to minors. Pharmacies face compliance burdens in terms of verifying customers‘ age, training employees, and dealing with potential violations. Removing tobacco from stores eliminates these regulatory hassles and liabilities. Some jurisdictions have even passed laws specifically prohibiting pharmacies from selling tobacco.
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Business considerations: While tobacco has historically been a reliable revenue generator for pharmacies, its financial importance has diminished in recent years. Cigarette sales have been steadily declining as fewer Americans smoke. Meanwhile, pharmacies have shifted more focus to growing their healthcare services, such as immunizations, health screenings, and medication therapy management. The long-term business upside of pivoting away from tobacco arguably outweighs the shrinking margins from cigarette sales.
Current Status of Tobacco Sales at Rite Aid
So where do things currently stand in terms of being able to buy cigarettes at your local Rite Aid? The answer depends on the specific store and how far along it is in the phaseout process. As of 2022, Rite Aid has removed tobacco products from more than 500 stores so far and remains on track to complete the chainwide removal by the end of 2024.
However, that means cigarettes are still available at a majority of Rite Aid locations for the time being. If you‘re unsure about your local store‘s policy, it‘s best to call ahead or check online before making a trip specifically for smokes. Keep in mind that even stores still selling tobacco have implemented more stringent age verification requirements in recent years. You can expect to be asked for ID to prove you are at least 21 years old, which is now the national minimum age for purchasing tobacco.
No More Vapes and E-Cigarettes
In addition to traditional combustible cigarettes, Rite Aid has also pulled the plug on electronic nicotine delivery systems, more commonly known as vapes or e-cigarettes. A company spokesperson said the move was based on the "uncertain regulatory environment" and "mounting questions about the potential health risks" posed by these products.
Rite Aid‘s decision to remove vapes from stores in 2019 came on the heels of increased FDA scrutiny and a spate of vaping-related lung illnesses and deaths across the country. Other retailers like Walgreens and Walmart also halted sales of e-cigarettes around the same time. The crackdown reflected growing concerns about a youth vaping epidemic and the health impacts of e-cigarette use, which remain not fully understood.
Focus on Smoking Cessation Products
As Rite Aid and other pharmacies phase out cigarettes and tobacco products, they are ramping up their offerings of smoking cessation products and services to help smokers quit. Rite Aid stocks a wide range of nicotine replacement therapies, such as gums, lozenges, patches, and sprays, as well as prescription smoking cessation medications like Chantix and Zyban.
The company‘s website also provides a variety of resources and tools for those looking to kick the habit, including tips for building a quit plan, managing cravings, and finding support. Rite Aid pharmacists are trained to counsel patients on smoking cessation options and help them find the right approach for their individual needs and preferences.
By positioning itself as a destination for smoking cessation rather than a place to buy cigarettes, Rite Aid aims to reinforce its image as a health-focused retailer and partner in customers‘ wellness journeys. This strategy aligns with broader trends in the pharmacy industry of expanding clinical services and transitioning from a transactional to a more consultative model of care.
Impact on Rite Aid‘s Business
Skeptics of Rite Aid‘s move to ban tobacco sales have questioned whether the decision will hurt the company‘s bottom line and put it at a competitive disadvantage against other retailers that still sell cigarettes. It‘s a fair question, given that tobacco has historically been a significant revenue generator for pharmacies and a driver of foot traffic into stores.
However, Rite Aid leadership has downplayed the financial impact of phasing out tobacco, arguing that cigarette sales have been declining for years and represent a shrinking share of overall business. In a 2020 earnings call, CEO Heyward Donigan said tobacco accounted for less than 4% of Rite Aid‘s total retail sales and that the company was "well-positioned to offset any short-term financial impact" through growth in other categories.
In fact, some analysts have suggested that exiting the tobacco category could actually benefit Rite Aid‘s business in the long run by freeing up shelf space for more profitable and faster-growing products, improving its reputation as a health-focused retailer, and reducing its exposure to regulatory and litigation risks. CVS Health, for example, saw a short-term dip in sales after banning tobacco in 2014 but has since enjoyed strong revenue and earnings growth driven by its expanding healthcare services business.
The Post-Cigarette Retail Landscape
As more retailers join the movement to phase out tobacco sales, it raises questions about the future of cigarettes in the retail landscape. Will a pack of smokes become harder to find on store shelves in the coming years? How will tobacco companies adapt their distribution and marketing strategies? And will consumers finally kick the habit for good if it becomes less convenient to buy cigarettes?
It‘s too early to say for sure, but some trends seem clear. While cigarettes will likely still be available at convenience stores, gas stations, and tobacco shops for the foreseeable future, their presence in mainstream retail settings like pharmacies and grocery stores is shrinking. Consumers who smoke may need to plan ahead or make extra stops to purchase their preferred brand.
At the same time, the decline of cigarette retail availability coincides with a broader shift in consumer attitudes and behaviors around smoking. Cigarette smoking rates have fallen dramatically in recent decades, from over 40% of U.S. adults in 1965 to less than 14% today, according to the CDC. Younger generations in particular have increasingly opted for alternative nicotine products like vapes or avoided tobacco use altogether.
Retailers getting out of the cigarette business may simply be responding to these changing consumer preferences and attitudes. By pivoting away from tobacco and toward smoking cessation and wellness offerings, pharmacies like Rite Aid are betting that the future of health and wellness retail lies not in selling cigarettes, but in helping people quit them for good. Only time will tell how this bet plays out in the long run.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the landscape of tobacco sales in pharmacies is shifting rapidly, with major players like Rite Aid phasing out cigarettes and other tobacco products from their stores in the coming years. While you may still be able to buy a pack of smokes at some Rite Aid locations in 2022, don‘t be surprised if your local store removes them from shelves soon.
This trend reflects a broader movement in retail and public health circles to curb tobacco use and promote smoking cessation. As pharmacies reposition themselves as health and wellness destinations, they are increasingly opting out of the cigarette business in favor of products and services aimed at helping people quit.
For consumers, this means that buying cigarettes may become less convenient in the future as more retailers exit the category. However, it also means more support and resources for those looking to kick the habit and improve their health. Whether you‘re a smoker or not, it‘s worth keeping an eye on these changes in the retail landscape and what they mean for the future of tobacco use in our society.
