Although Dollar General’s website claims they are “committed to conduct[ing] business in a way that promotes healthy families, thriving communities and a cleaner environment,” its recent venture into selling cigarettes suggests otherwise. In reality, Dollar General and Family Dollar would rather exploit low-income families’ cigarette addiction for a profit than help them be healthy.
Low-income families need the most help with quitting, too. While tobacco use is down among other demographics, tobacco use among those earning less than $15,000 per year is virtually unchanged. Low-income Americans’ limited access to transportation usually creates a barrier to shopping at multiple stores, but Dollar General and Family Dollar have now made cigarettes more accessible and harder to avoid.
This is especially wrong considering purchasing cigarettes limits money that can be spent on necessities. Also, low-income families are least capable of dealing with the negative health consequences because of their limited or nonexistent access to health care.
Over 25,000 New Yorkers die each year from tobacco use, but this number could be reduced if society acted with more concern for addicted smokers. Exploiting the nation’s poor for a profit will only worsen the tobacco problem in the US, and that is despicable.
Mark Raniewicz, Esq.
Elmira, NY
Although Dollar General’s website claims they are “committed to conduct[ing] business in a way that promotes healthy families, thriving communities and a cleaner environment,” its recent venture into selling cigarettes suggests otherwise. In reality, Dollar General and Family Dollar would rather exploit low-income families’ cigarette addiction for a profit than help them be healthy.
Low-income families need the most help with quitting, too. While tobacco use is down among other demographics, tobacco use among those earning less than $15,000 per year is virtually unchanged. Low-income Americans’ limited access to transportation usually creates a barrier to shopping at multiple stores, but Dollar General and Family Dollar have now made cigarettes more accessible and harder to avoid.
This is especially wrong considering purchasing cigarettes limits money that can be spent on necessities. Also, low-income families are least capable of dealing with the negative health consequences because of their limited or nonexistent access to health care.
Over 25,000 New Yorkers die each year from tobacco use, but this number could be reduced if society acted with more concern for addicted smokers. Exploiting the nation’s poor for a profit will only worsen the tobacco problem in the US, and that is despicable.
Mark Raniewicz, Esq.
Elmira, NY
