Georgia pharmacists' attitudes toward cigarettes and smokeless tobacco

To determine the degree to which pharmacists might cooperate with other health-care providers in reducing tobacco use, the authors surveyed 500 Georgia pharmacists on their knowledge, attitudes, and sales practices regarding cigarettes and smokeless tobacco (ST). Analysis of the 152 questionnaires (30.3%) returned showed that respondents' knowledge of the effects of tobacco use, especially cigarettes, was high. Overall, pharmacists believe that pharmacies should not sell cigarettes and ST; sales to minors and radio and television advertising of tobacco should be prohibited; and ST is not a safe alternative to cigarettes. More employee pharmacists than managers sold cigarettes when they did not believe they should, citing the reason that higher management makes the decision. Managers who didn't believe they should sell tobacco products said they did so because they felt the public should be free to choose. These findings may reflect a tendency of pharmacists to accept employment without control over conditions, and suggest that encouraging pharmacists to use their influence to discourage tobacco use might be acceptable to practitioners.