As San Francisco became the first city in the nation Tuesday to prohibit the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies, city officials indicated a willingness to widen the ban.

Pharmacies such as Walgreens or Rite Aid can no longer sell tobacco products starting Sept. 30. The ban does not affect grocery stores or big-box chains that may also have pharmacies on-site.

The law, introduced by Mayor Gavin Newsom, was approved by the Board of Supervisors in an 8-3 vote Tuesday. Supervisors Sean Elsbernd, Carmen Chu and Bevan Dufty opposed the bill. But several supervisors indicated a willingness to expand the ban.

“Whatever avenues we can explore to secure the expansion of this legislation, I think we should,” Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi said. “Whatever we can do to make this country a smoke-free zone, let’s do it.”

This story continues below
Advertisement

Opponents questioned the fairness of the law and its effectiveness. Elsbernd said the bill is “more about making a statement than it is about doing something real.” He said that people will just buy cigarettes elsewhere.

“I can’t think of a single Walgreens that doesn’t have a liquor store that sells cigarettes within at least one block,” he said.

Dufty and Chu said the bill raises equity questions since other businesses equipped with pharmacies can continue to sell tobacco products.

“The proposal would have been better crafted if it was wider in scope,” Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval said. “Call it a first step, call it a cautionary step.”

“I am not in favor of anybody smoking or anybody selling tobacco,” Department of Public Health Director Mitchell Katz said.

But the law, he said, focuses on pharmacies where “the case was the strongest” for the ban since they are “health-promoting businesses.”

The bill faced opposition from chain pharmacies as well as the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, which wrote a letter saying the ban “would be ineffective, discriminatory, and may even present unintended consequences such as reduced awareness of smoking cessation products and services.”

Walgreens spokesman Michael Polzin called the ban “unfair,” and said it would hurt sales of other products.

The Board of Supervisors may take another step toward stamping out smoking in San Francisco. A bill introduced by Supervisor Chris Daly that is up for a board committee vote next week would significantly expand nonsmoking areas citywide.

jsabatini@sfexaminer.com

State of smoking

Cigarette smoking is more common among adults who live below the poverty level (30.6%) than among those living at or above the poverty level (20.4%).*

1 of every 5 deaths is due to cigarette smoking

20.8 percent of all adults smoke cigarettes in the U.S.

23.9 percent of cigarette smokers are 18-24

23.5 percent of smokers are 25-44

* as of November 2007

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention