(NaturalNews) American drugstore chains are trying really hard to re-brand themselves as corner-store healthcare providers rather than basic convenience marts that dispense pharmaceuticals. CVS made the first move recently by axing all cigarette sales in an effort to prod its customers toward healthier lifestyles. Nevertheless, these same chains continue to sell soda pop, sugar-filled snack items and other harmful consumer products that end up creating lifelong legal drug addicts.

Take a walk through the aisles of an average CVS store and you'll see this reality first-hand: shelves lined with two-liter bottles of Coca-Cola, endless packages of artificially flavored and colored candy and chemical-laden personal care products galore. It's everything a person wouldn't want to consume or expose himself to when trying to live a healthy life, and yet CVS, Walgreens and all the rest see nothing wrong with selling these products.

Getting rid of cigarettes is a step in the right direction, but should CVS continue to peddle processed junk foods loaded with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and trans fats while claiming to promote health? What about the many dozens of square feet of refrigeration units filled with beer and wine? Are these items somehow more beneficial to consumers than tobacco?

"While consumer advocates note that CVS's ban on tobacco products to promote 'better health' is a laudable one, they note that to be truly 'healthy,' drugstores (not just CVS) should do more to clean up their shelves -- in particular in the food and beverage aisle," writes Catey Hill for MarketWatch. "Indeed, some of the items that these drugstores still sell may lead to conditions that the drugstores have medications to treat, like heart disease, obesity and diabetes."

Top five unhealthy products that drugstores continue to sell to customers

What are the top five product categories that drugstores such as CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens are peddling to customers that will eventually drive many of them to the prescription counter for a pharmaceutical quick-fix? Here's a simple breakdown:

1) Soda pop. Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper and other sodas are a staple of American drugstores. Whether sweetened with sugar (HFCS) or artificial sweeteners (aspartame and/or sucralose), these products are a driving factor in the obesity and heart disease epidemics.

2) Alcohol. Although it is potentially safe to consume in moderation, alcohol is really no better than tobacco when it comes to long-term health. Alcohol consumption has been linked to all sorts of chronic health conditions, including depression, liver disease and gout. Walgreens reversed a 15-year ban on alcohol sales in 2010, while CVS and Rite Aid sell beer and wine in many of their stores.

3) Chips. Even baked and "reduced-guilt" processed chips are unhealthy and loaded with "empty calories," says Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League. If drugstores were really concerned with improving the health of their customers, they would replace many of these products with fresh, organic fruits and vegetables.

4) Candy. If they're not getting them at gas stations and truck stops, many Americans looking for a sweet fix will drop into the local drugstore to grab a Snickers or Hershey's chocolate bar. These products are brimming with GMO sweeteners, preservatives and other toxic additives that - not unlike cigarettes - are sure to cause health problems.

5) Heavily-processed cookies and snack cakes. Whether it's Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies or Hostess Twinkies, drugstores are notorious for selling these and other imitation food products that are largely responsible for causing metabolic disorders such as diabetes and heart disease.

Sources for this article include:

MarketWatch.com