Liberate The Condoms At CVS!, Activists Say
Posted by: Jessica Wakeman
Filed in:
news
2:15PM, Thursday June 11th 2009
Is it possible to c**k block safe sex? Yes, say public health advocates who are going after CVS for sometimes locking its condoms behind glass cases!
Advocates For Youth and CureCVS are rallying people based on the findings of a Change To Win study, which investigated CVS branches in five major metropolitan areas. They found condom lockage is three times more likely to occur in areas where minorities live—which obviously is discriminatory and needs to stop immediately.
In their petition, the activists point out Walgreens and RiteAid both prohibit the lockage of the condoms. But I actually don’t have an issue with keeping rubbers behind lock and key. Yeah, it creates a bit of a barrier that might lead some people to skip protection and pass along HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. But honestly, that’s not the company’s concern, is it? CVS is in the product-selling business, not the STD-stopping business. Pharmacies lock all kinds of products up—pricey razors, baby formula, even NyQuil (because people might mosey off to their backyard meth lab with an armful)—presumably based on what people steal. CVS, the nation’s biggest drugstore chain, is a business above anything else and it’s in their interest to prevent theft.
When I last shopped for condoms, I didn’t like asking a pharmacy staffer—some older dude—to get me my Trojans OR my Schick razor my out of the glass case. But I dealt with it. Seriously, you can’t hold people’s hands with everything.
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shannac02
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 02:57 pm: [report]
I totally support the message of Condoms for Everyone!!!! BUT, these companies have to maintain profits as well… Just saying, these stores that have the “lockup” have probably experienced high volume shrink on condoms, and that’s why they’re locked up, not because its in a minority area.
Nan
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 03:17 pm: [report]
I understand what you’re saying, but i highly doubt the reason they lock up condoms is to prevent theft. I’m sure it helps with that, but it makes more sense with the other things you listed like pricey razors and medicines that can be used for dangerous purposes.
era11
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 04:07 pm: [report]
To Nan: Having worked in both chain pharmacies and supermarkets, I can tell you that condoms absolutely ARE a high-theft item. Thats one reason you often find them on the endcaps right by the pharmacy: its easier to kind of keep an eye on the merchandise that way because lets face it, condoms are pretty pricey, especially if you want to spring for something beyond the basic raincoat. It follows that high-theft stores in some neighborhoods would want to lock up their pricey products.
Besides, an awkward moment in the pharmacy is just a moment, the herp is forever.
joyy
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 04:14 pm: [report]
I get *why* people do it, but I can vouch that it is a deterrant. Hell, my bf is *32* (is smart, owns a business AND a house, etc) and didn’t want to ask a pharm tech to unlock the rubbers. He just went somewhere else to buy them, of course. But still, if this is happening in areas where there aren’t other sources of condoms, it’s going to impact young (and not so young) people’s decisions. ACCESS!!!!!
40yrolddad
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 04:19 pm: [report]
Nan - they why DO you think they’re locking them up? pressure from churches (possible)? they obviously THINK they’re likely to get stolen. now if you’re going to bring race into this it gets a little murky - if they just ASSUMED they’d experience higher shrinkage (no pun intended) of these products in these markets and locked them from day one then that’s clearly bad. if they initially had them unlocked in one or more markets and experienced actual disproportionate shrinkage in some then assumed they’d experience similar trends in similar markets that’s arguably still bad but at least they could defend the data. if they initially had them unlocked in all markets then locked them in ones they had disproportionate theft that’s COMPLETELY defensible, even if those market’s demographics correlate in an un-PC way (facts are still facts, even the un-PC kind)...
that said, I’m all for easy access to them - especially for high HIV/teen pregnancy areas…
PinkRanger
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 04:26 pm: [report]
While we’re talking about it….....I sure wish condoms were cheaper lol. I don’t know how prices go in other places, but a box of about ten to a dozen are like 15 bucks here.
I know I can get the free ones from planned pregnancy and even a university in my town, but they actually are out of them about half the time I go by. kinda effed up. beggers can’t be choosers I suppose, but still…...
missduplicity
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 04:51 pm: [report]
There’s a part of this issue that I think you’re missing—
What about teenagers?
Yeah, yeah, I know. Teenagers shouldn’t be having sex. Go cry about it to a youth pastor. Teens DO have sex, and frequently without adequate protection. And since a lot of America still belongs to the ridiculous culture of abstinence, many teens are ashamed to admit what they’re doing to the world at large. That’s why they steal condoms, or buy them from a store with a self-checkout, or steal them from their big brother or older friends. They’re afraid to face the cashier to even pay for the item!!
Honestly, how many teens do you think might decide to skip condoms and “just pull out” if they see that they have to ASK someone to open the condom case and grab them a pack of Her Pleasures? What about in small towns, where “everybody knows everybody?” What if the cashier knows your mom?
Yeah. I know it sucks to lose profit on a couple of stolen condom boxes every month. But honestly…would you rather be out 20 bucks for two packs of magnums, or would you rather end up spending more in taxes every year to support the unwanted children of teen moms who were forked over to the foster system, or who live with mom in government housing for the rest of their young lives?
alpikann
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 07:13 pm: [report]
10 years ago a worked at a cvs, i still remember the nights i was responsible for straightening that area. opened boxes were everywhere, it may be people uncomfortable to ask for assistance but people are uncomfortable enough with just purchasing that many kids would rather steal them.
i really don’t think this is a discrimination issue because condoms get stolen in all areas, locks usually appear in the highest rate areas. more likely than not the areas that were described were not only minority areas but lower income areas. condoms don’t seem too cheap to me and i’m sure that is part of the problem.
i can’t even begin to tell you how many times in my various retail jobs people who did purchase them would hide them in things. one of the most memorable times was a twenty-something on valentines’ day, mushy card, teddy bear, flowers, heart shaped balloon… all piled on top of the condoms. i fail to understand what’s so embarrassing about safe sex but apparently it is for most people.
Alison Wonderland
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 07:58 pm: [report]
Vending machines. Problem solved.
snap
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 08:15 pm: [report]
you didn’t like it, and you’re a sex columnist! imagine being a terrified 16-year-old girl! it’s hard enough for her to make her boyfriend use one; it is harder still asking some old pharmacist, in public, to get them!
mlyway
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 08:51 pm: [report]
I agree, it is hard for young teenage boys and girls to go out and buy condoms, let alone ask for them. And it should be companies’ responsibilities to ensure no customer feels afraid to purchase a product—which would only further their profits.
retro chic
wrote on June 11 2009 @ 09:30 pm: [report]
Alison, brilliant! Vending machines, and those M&M;/gumball machines you put a few quarters in at the store entrance/exit, haha.
Jessica Wakeman
wrote on June 12 2009 @ 07:21 am: [report]
@joyy
I don’t necessarily think teenagers are deterred by embarrassment —— lots of teens really don’t ‘want to get pregnant or get STDs and they just suck it up and buy the condoms. (As you pointed out with your 32yo boyfriend, people of all ages get embarrassed.) I understand it can be for uncomfortable for teens to ask someone to unlock the condoms, but really, they’re going to be buying condoms the rest of their life, so they should get used to it anyway, right?
joyy
wrote on June 12 2009 @ 08:02 am: [report]
@jessicaW - yes, they should. But it doesn’t mean locking condoms up is any less a barrier to accessible contraceptives, one of the very last things we need in this day and age.
Alison Wonderland
wrote on June 12 2009 @ 08:19 am: [report]
We actually had condoms in the vending machines at my college. Along side the bags of chips and candy bars.
But the machines you see in the mall vending iPods and Proactiv are made by a company called Zoom Systems. The product stays locked up but the machines take cash & credit cards- so it’s just like self checkout.
joyy
wrote on June 12 2009 @ 08:20 am: [report]
@Alison - brilliant.
Jill
wrote on June 12 2009 @ 11:45 pm: [report]
I work at a CVS and we lock up our condoms. And our perfumes and razors and baby formula. Yes we are in a minority area but the locking up has nothing to do with that. People steal those items, period. I wish we’d lock up more of our liquor though, those get stolen almost every night.
If people are too embarrassed to ask for condoms, they shouldn’t be having sex. Unfortunately this is not usually the case.
Sakura Kawaii-hime
wrote on September 9 2009 @ 12:49 pm: [report]
I believe that honestly the people who steal condoms the most are teenagers. They dont want to get caught buying them for whatever reason (parents dont want them having any kind of sex, moral issues involving religion, ect). Having people under the age of 18 not being aloud to purchase or view porn makes sex a more fees-able option, while people are saying abstinence is best which it is and with more and more teens loosing their virginity at an early age.. yes people should use condoms and yes condoms are a high theft item, but porn should be allowed to be distributed to younger people. Just as long as minors arent in the porn, I see no problems. and honestly thats a bigger issue then locked up condoms because from my knowledge anyone with money can buy condoms locked up or not.