Controversy lights up when health clinics sell cigarettes
Patient Safety Monitor Alert
June 25, 2008
The American Medical Association (AMA) recently told retailers that house in-store clinics to shut down those clinics or stop selling cigarettes, says the Wall Street Journal Health Blog. The AMA called for tighter regulation of the clinics, which are typically staffed by nurse practitioners.
"It's ridiculous that a health deliverer should be dispensing cigarettes," says William A. Dolan, a member of the AMA board of trustees. The Convenient Care Association says forcing retailers to choose between having in-store clinics and selling tobacco won't serve consumers with easier high-quality, affordable healthcare. A few states have proposed legislation that would ban retail clinics in stores that sell alcohol or tobacco.
To read more click here.
