First, it was Sudafed. Then powered baby formula. Then, bizarrely, Tide detergent. Now you can add aluminum foil to the items that may only be available behind the counter at your local store. Really.
Fox 10 News in Phoenix reports that some local CVS stores are pulling aluminum foil off their shelves and making them available only by request. Signs on the shelves tell foil-seeking customers that “Foil is located behind the register.”
CVS wouldn’t tell the station exactly what prompted the move, but customers had been complaining that packages were ripped open and pieces were torn from the foil.
So what’s this all about? Drugs. A drug counselor tells the station he believes drug users are swiping little pieces of foil in order to smoke anything from Oxycontin to heroin. “A drug addict will use foil mainly because it’s easy to form into any shape they need it to be,” he says.
“A small number of our stores have experienced issues with aluminum foil wrap and have removed this product from the shelf,” CVS said on its Facebook page today. “At these locations, store employees will be happy to assist customers who want to purchase aluminum foil. There are no plans to make this a national policy. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
There’s no word from any other pharmacy or grocery chains on whether they’ll follow these few CVS pharmacies’ lead. So you’d better grab your foil while you can. You can even search for a coupon – but if your kid clips it before you get to it, well, it may be time for a talk.
