NH Walgreens gives candy-filled pill bottles to kids

[Liberal_in_LA]

HUDSON, N.H. -- A New Hampshire pharmacy is apologizing after giving away prescription pill bottles full of candy to children as part of a promotion.

The Walgreens in Hudson gave out the pill bottles during a fair over the weekend.

Many parents were appalled by the pharmacy’s choice in giveaways.

“I don’t think that’s a smart idea because kids are gonna look at the bottles and think there’s candy in them,” said mother Julie Chute.

The prescription bottles came in Walgreens tote bags along with other treats.

Parents said this was a bad idea because kids could start mistaking medicine for candy.

“What kid doesn’t want candy? They ask all the time, you say ‘No,’ and then they’ll be like, ‘Oh well I know where it is,’” said mother Karen Barrett.

“They’ll look in mommy’s medicine cabinet and they’ll look similar to what their candy looks like and they’ll open that up, and so I don’t think that’s a very good idea at all,” said mother Lori Kerrigan.

In response to all the hype, Walgreens released the following statement:

“We apologize for this giveaway item at the festival and will ensure we provide more suitable items in the future.”

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12002031093431/nh-pharmacy-gives-candy-filled-pill-bottles-to-kids/

[Taverner]

1. Wow - this could make "bad idea" of the decade!

[mike r]

2. Stupid Idea of the Year

Unbelievable.

[FirstLight]

3. more than stupid, totally irresponsible!!!

I learned at an early juncture in motherhood that medicine looks like candy. The poison control centers ALL have posters and promotions about this...WHY wouldn't a trained Pharmacist know better? that manager should be fired, sorry, not cool at ALL. A press release doesn;t fix it.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. cool poster. I had no idea...

[spanone]

4. it's like tobacco companies giving out candy cigarettes

hook 'em young

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. loved those as a kid. Bubble gum cigars also. :-)

[JBoy]

5. Drug dealers.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. Well, it is slightly better than giving out pills in candy dispensers. nt

[HopeHoops]

9. Oh, now THAT's a good idea!

:sarcasm:

Did they hand out fake sheets of acid drops and oregano joints too?

[MorningGlow]

10. "Nurse's kit" I had when I was a kid

Had the full regalia--nurse's whites (with cap) and blue cape, plus a doctor's bag with syringes, bottles, stethoscope, etc., including several bottles of multicolored "pills" (candy). I ate those up immediately. IIRC, they were teeny balls like the kind you use to decorate cupcakes.

Not saying this was wise, or anything. Just another one of those "can't believe we survived our childhood with stuff like this."

[SOS]

11. Walgreens history (OT)

Prior to prohibition, Walgreens had 12 stores in Chicago.
A little known fact of prohibition is that you could get one pint of alcohol every 10 days for "medicinal purposes".
By the end of prohibition Walgreens had 600 stores!

That's alot of "medicine"!

[derby378]

12. 40 pints of wallop a day will keep away the quacks

It's only eight pence ha'penny a pint, and one and six in tax. :hi:

[northernlights]

13. hey,they're just training their future prescription durg-addicts

give'm a break...:sarcasm: