Comments on: Want Condoms at CVS? Meet the “Power Wing.”

By: SarahG

SarahG — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 19:14:53 +0000

Wouldn’t it be great? CVS is such a player in the health care industry these days–some of their stores have mini-clinics inside of them, for christ’s sake–I think it would be fabulous if they did something to improve public health that wasn’t entirely motivated by profit. If only.

When I was in jr. high I somehow stumbled into a volunteer job that involved passing out condoms and needle works and bleach to people on the street. People were so glad to get the shit. I wish those sort of things were more readily available–and free, of course.

By: Carrie the Red

Carrie the Red — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:12:15 +0000

No shit, SarahG. That would be a tremendous gesture of goodwill. If they were worried about foot traffic in the store, they could install safe, efficient dispensers of both needles and condoms outside. It might act as a magnet for folks some customers would complain about, but then, maybe not: if it started a trend with other pharmacies, that magnet effect could be effectively spread out between stores across the city so that it would be a shared burden between CVS/Eckerd/Rite-Aid, etc.

Of course, they would immediately get the abstinence bunch and the anti-free-needle bunch freaking out, but that’s why it’d be good for the big chains to agree to do it together. Even neo-cons need to wipe their butts; they can’t effectively boycott every drugstore chain at once.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 16:10:55 +0000

lol well played and true

By: SarahG

SarahG — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 16:06:17 +0000

“Should CVS just leave Syringe’s out, so people without HIV who shoot up just take them so they don’t concieve AIDS?”

Yes.

By: Becca

Becca — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 02:41:24 +0000

If Condoms were not locked up there would not be any condoms for “regular” customers to purchase because they would all be stolen. If we want to protect people from HIV why are’nt there people on the street corners handing out FREE condoms? Why are we leaving it up to CVS to “hand out” condoms? Should CVS just leave Syringe’s out, so people without HIV who shoot up just take them so they don’t concieve AIDS? Pruducts are locked up because they are of high theft. CVS is a Pharmacy NOT A CLINIC.

All in all- CVS is not the problem.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:37:59 +0000

BR: I never changed my position. My point, the same in both comments, was if you don’t like CVS’s policy, then don’t shop there.

I neither agreed nor disagreed with the intervention, which appears to have been partially successful. It’s nice – and not a little surprising – that they are a responsive enough corporate citizen to give a crap about what a public health organization says. My point did not have to do with the intervention, but with the general notion of continuing to shop at a big corporation with consumer unfriendly policies. This kind of attitude is why Wall Mart essentially rules the world. We all bitch about the big corporations, but apparently saving 20 cents on a piece of cheap clothing is more important than having local economy to most people.

And I seriously doubt there’s even a single neighborhood where CVS is the only place to buy a condom.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:50:05 +0000

just do what i do and never leave the house; you won’t even have to worry about sex

By: BR

BR — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:15:41 +0000

Jamie: You just completed a full circle on yourself. In your last comment, you are talking about proving a point in order to affect a change in the policy at CVS regarding condom display… That’s exactly the point of the GW students’ research and intervention. So now you agree with it…

Btw, low income neighborhoods do not always have grocery stores to begin with, let alone ones that carry accessible condoms and often, those “corner stores” do not.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:56:22 +0000

NE Resident: I got the point. But mine was that the best way to fight a corporate policy you don’t like is speak with your money. I am sure CVS has competition even in “af-am” neighborhoods, as you say. There are corner stores all over the city, and I am sure most of them sell condoms.

If CVS suddenly finds that sales of condoms go way down when they lock them up, I bet they will rethink their policy. If people just mutely accept it and keep shopping there, then what incentive do they have to change anything?

On a side note, if I needed to buy condoms on, er, short notice, there’s no way I’d ever go to CVS anyway. Is there any CVS that it’s possible to get in and out of in less than 20 minutes — even WITHOUT getting someone to unlock the condom cabinet? Maybe people were stealing them just because they didn’t want to wait in line forever while their date was waiting…

By: TL

TL — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:15:08 +0000

Ernest – Cigarrettes? You are complaining about that? Surely you jest (and you say “Don’t call me Shirley”). Imagine if they were left out in the open? How many cartons would be stolen? How many percentage points does underage smoking raise? You have to stand in line to buy them anyways. What’s the problem with asking? Embarrassed that you smoke Camel non-filter?

By: TL

TL — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:12:05 +0000

I’m a former CVS employee. Actually a former Assistant Store Manager, so I can speak on the exact policy. Yes, condoms are locked because of theft. We had to find balance of still providing the merchandise without losing money via theft. I used to work in Montgomery County, MD and Alexandria, VA, with occassional stints in the District. You might find it surprising, but condoms are stolen even in the most affluent neighborhoods. Even rich kids need protection, and they stole it. Either for kicks or because Mommy and Daddy didn’t give them their own Amex. I understand the embarrassment factor, but go somewhere else. I never bought them at my own store, but went to one I never worked at or just went to Giant/Rite Aid, etc.. Some people are just plain embarrassed to buy them. Probably too immature to actually participate in the act that necessitates them.

By: Ernest

Ernest — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:56:38 +0000

And the cigarettes! Don’s forget the cigarettes!… They do the same thing with cigarettes! Which is another example of the lack of trust towards ordinary Americans on the part of corporate retailers. Intolerable.

By: John

John — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:20:22 +0000

They do the same thing with razor cartridges (Gillette Mach 3, etc.), even in low-crime neighborhoods like Cleveland Park. Presumably it’s an anti-theft measure.

By: NE resident

NE resident — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:15:42 +0000

Jamie Says:
Jul. 18, 2007, at 5:25 pm
“One must imagine CVS is doing this to prevent theft…the obvious answer is go somewhere else. They sell condoms at Safeway across the street, among 96 other places in Adams Morgan.”

I think you’re missing the point Jamie. I’m sure they’re not TRYING to keep people away from condoms, but the effect is the same. And also, as they state, the places with locked condoms have the highest rates of HIV. People who can afford to live in NW will find condoms, but what about Af-Am neighborhoods without grocery stores? That’s why reversing this policy is important, to increase easy access for a good that benefits the community as a whole.

By: Margot

Margot — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 12:46:54 +0000

The CVS at Thomas Circle doesn’t lock theirs (as of last week at least) and it’s open 24 hours. Hope this helps!