DRAMATICALLY changing the retail distribution of tobacco products so they become available exclusively in pharmacies, is a strategy explored by University of Otago, New Zealand researchers.
Intended as part of a strategy to phase out the broader availability of the products in society over a 10 year period, the concept was the final stage in a plan floated initially as a private bill in the Icelandic Parliament in 2011.
In this final year, pharmacists would be well trained to also give advice on quitting, for those still staunch enough to be buying after such an intense long-term campaign.
According to the private bill, pharmacists would have the right to refuse to sell tobacco products if they chose not to, just as they can with other programs.
The plan was never adopted in Iceland.
The research revealed that only around a quarter of responding pharmacies (26%) thought it was 'very likely' to 'extremely likely' that their pharmacy would sell tobacco if pharmacies were made the only permitted type of retail outlet in New Zealand.
A further 17% thought it was 'somewhat likely' but these percentages increased significantly to 37% and 43% if it could be shown that the end-game strategy had proven effective elsewhere in the world.
Where pharmacy owner or part-owners only were surveyed, the likelihood under the positive circumstances went as high as 80%, researchers reported.
CLICK HERE to access the study.
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