GUNS AND DRUGS – ONLY IN TEXAS

/ The Coastal Crone

The first time I saw the black and white billboard I thought it was a campaign against the deadly combination of guns and drugs.

GUNS AND DRUGS
Nichols Guns/Nichols Westwood Pharmacy

When I read it closely I discovered that it was simply an advertisement for a business.  Really!  Walk into this store and you can have your prescription filled on one side and then walk to the other side and purchase a gun.  Out back is a shooting range.  If you transfer a prescription or bring in a new one, you get a free hour on the shooting range.  Is there a connection between guns and drugs?

gun

Guns can save lives.  Drugs can save lives.

Guns can kill.  Drugs can kill.

Guns can be harmful if misused.  Drugs can be harmful if misused.

Guns can be legal or illegal.  Drugs can be legal or illegal.

The use of guns is controversial.  The use of drugs is controversial.

pills

Only in Texas would the idea of buying guns and drugs in the same shared space seem logical!

You can check them out on their respective Facebook pages – Nichols Guns and Nichols Westwood Pharmacy.  A local college English professor, John Crisp, calls it the new normal in his column:  http://www.indianagazette.com/news/opinions/commentary-onestop-shop-for-guns-and-meds,18704255/

What do you think?

38 thoughts on “GUNS AND DRUGS – ONLY IN TEXAS”

  3. Thank God for Texas, The statements are all correct and Texans have enough sense to recognize both sides of both issues. Many realize that good or evil is not inherent in the items themselves but in the minds of those who use them and their personal decisions on that use. I do hope it is not “Only in Texas”

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    • Thanks for your comments, Max! There are always to side and I see both. Someone comments there is one in the county where he lives and has been there for 30 years. I have asked what state. Nichols Pharmacy has been around for years.

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  6. As a native Texan and a German-American, I quite frankly am aghast at the number of places where one can purchase a gun. I grew up on a large ranch and we hunted gamed for our consumption. We did not have many guns and those we did have were carefully stored. I cannot understand why the general population has this desire to be heavily armed. I cannot and will never understand and am only happy that my age has advanced to the stage whereby I shall not be around when the water shortage in Texas will cause all these people to begin shooting at each other for a drink………..just my thoughts.

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    • I too grew up on a ranch and guns were a part of life but for practical purposes. What I don’t understand is collecting guns – there are frequent guns shows in this area. I agree that the fight over water in the future could be like the range wars of the past. Water was precious where I grew up and it was to be conserved and I still cannot get away from that. We had to have water for our family as well as the cattle. I shall not be around for water wars either! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

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    • Booze and bullets – that’ worse than guns and drugs! There are plenty of drive thru convenient stores that sell booze but I did not know they sold bullets. I am sure the pharmacy is doing better since they added guns since it is hard for the independent pharmacies to compete with the big chains.

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  8. Absolutely astounding!, as a no gun culture here in the UK I find this sort of advert unbelievable. Only special teams of police carry weapons here in the UK, Although I live within a county which has had its share of high Gun crime..

    No I am not surprised at the link of the two, as we know the two are linked if not directly with the store involved.. But we know cartels exist and that the pharmaceutical industry on the whole do not care about how side affects kill, as they are like those dealing in drugs are out for profit etc…

    Its a sad sad world we live in my friend… Crazy! when you think about what we do to ourselves..
    Thank you for the share
    Sue

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    • Hunting is big in my state and most hunters are responsible. And I have no problem with a gun for protection in certain situations. I just don’t understand the need for some to stockpile guns. On the other side I think drugs are used and prescribed way to much! Thanks for giving your view from the other side of the world.

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    • It seems that every time there is a shooting people feel the need to have guns to protect themselves even more. I am used to seeing advertisements for gun shows but this guns/drugs surprised me. The pharmacy owner has been in the rx business for years and added the guns to help him survive. Yes, sometimes it is scary! Thanks for commenting.

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  10. We are getting stranger by the year I think. Our lakes are drying up. Our ranges turning brown. Our coast lines turning grey with sludge. But we shoot out back of the pharmacy? Does this make sense, I think we are just getting strange. Our priorities so out of whack, we don’t even know which way is up any longer.

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    • Apparently there is a market out there for it in this area. Some fear the government will take away their guns. I grew up on a ranch where guns were used for practical purposes and was taught to respect their use.

      I agree that the state of Texas has plenty of problems to focus on but you are aware of those already! A shooting range out back seems a bit strange to me as I grew up when drug stores had soda fountains! We do live in an interesting state, don’t we? Thanks for the comments, Val. I always enjoy your posts and honest opinions.

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  12. Hi! Great and interesting post. The oddest combo I remember seeing was a Car Window Tinting Shop/Karaoke Bar.

    Also growing up on a ranch and living in the country during my childhood, I wouldn’t find this strange at all. Interesting, but not strange.

    In the very small towns, especially, there are still (for lack of a better term), General stores. You can have lunch, buy some socks, beer, ammo, guns, bread, jerkey, jam and candy.

    I’ve seen places like this in the Dakotas, Texas, generally more remote areas.

    Sometimes in truck stops, camping stores, and the big box general stores like Cabellas and Bass Pro.

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    • I wouldn’t find it strange to find guns and ammo for sale in a small general/grocery store in a remote area. This store is located in a mid-sized city. Just the idea of guns and drugs was odd. I too grew up on a ranch and guns were just something taken for granted. I may have to check it out just to get the feel. Thanks for your contribution to the discussion!

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  13. A pharmacy with a shooting range…I’ve never seen that combination, but I think I agree with you: The owner is just trying to stay in business. (and if he is doing good – well, there is obviously a demand for what he is offering)
    You know I live in an area that is flooded with illegal drugs and illegal guns and I wish there was a way to control that. Surprisingly though, I grew up with a respect for guns (I have a lot of relatives and friends that head to the deer woods every fall to put food on their table) I still think most people that are gun owners are not criminals. Just my humble opinion.

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    • I hope he does well as there are so few independent pharmacies left in this area. I agree – and hope – that most gun owners are responsible. I grew up on a ranch where hunting was normal and I know how to cook venison. If you kill it, you eat it! The problem is how to keep guns and drugs out of the hands of those that abuse them as they are in your neighborhood. Stay safe! But these days that crazed person can attack in the most unexpected places. Thanks for your input!

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    • It is rather sad that this may be the new normal in America. Yes, it is Texas after all with that frontier mentality that once was necessary. I still hope that most gun owners in are responsible. Thanks for the comment. Your posts are always common sense.

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    • I was not trying to put pharmacists down at all and regret that so many independent stores are closing. I am grateful for my local pharmacist for any drugs that I need! Somehow I just prefer going to a gun store for guns and ammo! Thank you for the input!

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Comments are always welcome!