By paNOW Staff

Pharmacies butt out

Mar 31, 2011 | 5:05 PM

Saskatchewan pharmacies will have some empty shelves tomorrow as a smoking ban come into effect.

As of Apr. 1 Saskatchewan pharmacies will no longer be able to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products as part of the so-called Building a Healthier Saskatchewan Initiative.

Christine Diekema is a Saskatchewan pharmacist and she thinks it’s a very good thing.

“It’s sort of a ridiculous thing to be promoting health and wellness and promoting the smoking cessation and that sort of thing and then as they walk up to the front counter they can purchase their tobacco products,” she said.

There is more work involved than just clearing the shelves, Diekema said.

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“It’s more of getting a hold of all the wholesalers and reps of all the companies that you have to deal with get them to see what they can take back, what you need to dispose of, in the end decide what you’re going to do with whatever’s left over,” Diekema said.

Whatever’s leftover will most likely be thrown out.

Diekema said she thinks their business will drop, but tobacco products aren’t their main priority.

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