CVS Stops Selling Cigarettes

CVS Stops Selling Cigarettes

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. It causes many different cancers including cancers of the throat, mouth, nasal cavity, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix as well as chronic lung diseases, such as emphysema, bronchitis, and heart disease. Approximately seven in ten smokers say they want to quit and about half attempt to quit each year. And so, in support of the health and well-being of its patients and customers, CVS Caremark announced that it will stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products at its more than 7,600 CVS/pharmacy stores across the U.S. by October 1, 2014, making CVS/pharmacy the first national pharmacy chain to take this step. 

According to CVS Caremark Chief Medical Officer Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., "CVS Caremark is continually looking for ways to promote health and reduce the burden of disease. Stopping the sale of cigarettes and tobacco will make a significant difference in reducing the chronic illnesses associated with tobacco use."

 "As a leader of the health care community focused on improving health outcomes, we are pledging to help millions of Americans quit smoking," said Larry J. Merlo, President and CEO, CVS Caremark. "In addition to removing cigarettes and tobacco products for sale, we will undertake a robust national smoking cessation program." The program, to be launched this Spring, is expected to include information and treatment on smoking cessation at CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic along with online resources. The program will be available broadly across all CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations and will offer additional comprehensive programs for CVS Caremark pharmacy benefit management plan members to help them to quit smoking. To know more, see here: http://www.examiner.com/article/cvs-stops-selling-cigarettes#sthash.r6KWKLVq.dpuf