No More Adults: 7-Eleven Bans Skin Mags

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From now on, customers at 7-Eleven stores across the U.S. will have to buy Tabasco sauce if they want their eyes to pop. Last week Southland Corp., owner of the convenience chain, announced that it would no longer carry Playboy, Penthouse and Forum magazines, the three adult publications that now appear in its 4,500 7-Eleven stores. Southland additionally urged its 3,600 franchisees to follow suit. Southland President Jere Thompson said the action was in response to recent hearings conducted by the federal Commission on Pornography. Said Thompson: "The testimony indicates a growing public awareness of a possible connection between adult magazines and crime, violence and child abuse."

The 7-Eleven decision was the biggest move yet by convenience chains against the skin books. It was hailed by anti pornography activists, including the National Federation for Decency and the Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty Federation. Both groups have supported a boycott of 7-Eleven for selling adult magazines. In a prepared statement, Falwell offered "my congratulations to the Southland Corp. for putting principle above financial gain. I sincerely hope that Christians in America will now show their appreciation by supporting 7-Eleven nationally."

The magazine publishers defended their product. Said Playboy Enterprises President Christie Hefner: "The idea that Playboy, which has stood for positive, healthy sex for three decades, should be linked to violent pornography is absurd." Bob Guccione, publisher of Penthouse and Forum, responded by taking out an ad that ran in newspapers across the country. Declared Guccione: "Just as I have every constitutional right to publish Penthouse, so you, too, have every right to read it or ignore it." So, presumably, does 7-Eleven have a right to refuse to stock such publications.