CVS Pharmacies Stop Selling All Tobacco Products

September 3, 2014

Shoppers will no longer find tobacco products in CVS stores, including the ones in Century and Cantonment.

CVS is pulling all tobacco products from its shelves effective Wednesday, nearly a month ahead of the previously targeted date of October 1. In February, the company announced that it would end the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at its stores, making CVS the first and only national pharmacy chain to take this step, the company says,  in support of the health and well-being of its patients and customers.

“Along with the start of CVS Health, the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS/pharmacy ends today. By eliminating cigarettes and tobacco products from sale in our stores, we can make a difference in the health of all Americans,” saud Larry J. Merlo, President and CEO.

“The sale of tobacco in a retail pharmacy conflicts with the purpose of the health care services delivered there,” added Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health. “Even more important, there is evidence developing that indicates that removing tobacco products from retailers with pharmacies will lead to substantially lower rates of smoking with implications for reducing tobacco-related deaths.”

Also on Wednesday, the company changed its corporate name to CVS Health, but customers won’t notice any changes in signage at their local store.

Pictured: The CVS store in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

21 Responses to “CVS Pharmacies Stop Selling All Tobacco Products”

  1. David Huie Green on September 6th, 2014 8:55 pm

    A place decides to not sell tobacco products.
    What’s the problem?

    For those addicted, you can still get your fix elsewhere as long as you live.

    For those of you who don’t enjoy the stench, please just go elsewhere, don’t begrudge them their dope. It’s a big world and there’s room for everybody and those who smoke will be gone far sooner than otherwise.

    Vapor delivery systems would allow the drug fix without the other toxins and stink, but that’s a personal decision. It depends on how alone you want to be.

    David for cures to addiction
    and cancer
    and heart disease
    and air pollution
    and emphesema
    and foolishness

  2. old man on September 5th, 2014 12:09 am

    lisce yoa you are right you do have the right to breath clean air so i suggest you move from this area since we have the worst air quality in the state also i am 73 yr old vet i served my time so you can voice you opinon i am a smoker and have been for 57 yrs i have health ins and make my co pays i try to be considerate of non smokers i do not smoke around my grandchildren AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS COUNTRY GREAT WE CAN VOICE OUR OPINION

  3. Mark T on September 4th, 2014 7:57 pm

    C V S ,,,,, a leader in the LIBERAL agenda !

  4. Not a hypocrite on September 4th, 2014 4:53 pm

    My goodness! Do all of you realize you are calling for the CONTROL of private citizens LEGAL behavior, choices and actions? Guns, Big Gulps, salt, candy, sugar, cigarettes, alcohol. What’s next?. (Bloomberg’s Citizen Patrol – We’ll spy on folks, and if we see something we don’t think is good for them, why, we’ll just turn them in for you!.)

    I know several people who cross state lines to buy gas and tobacco products.
    CVS runs the risk of losing business due to customers dissatisfaction. Similar to Escambia County and the state of Florida losing a lot of tax dollars due to extra gas taxes and tobacco taxes.

    What happens when they come after whatever it is that you, yourself, choose or like, eat or use? Will you yell just as loudly when YOUR rights and choices are taken away?

    …Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…

  5. Mark T on September 4th, 2014 4:30 pm

    That’s one heckava rant there Lisa… Not to be judgemental or anything !

  6. ProudArmyParent on September 4th, 2014 3:12 pm

    sandra on September 3rd, 2014 9:47 pm

    “Big industry will kill you quicker than that good ole boy smoking a Marlboro red in front of the Winn Dixie.” Not so! I don’t feel the need to use my inhaler till I get the nasty smoke from tobbacco in my bronchial tubes, lungs and through out my
    respiratory system.

    I don’t use my inhaler any other time! I fact many times my inhaler will be out of date before I use it all up. On those occassion when I am confronted with second hand smoke I thank God I keep an inhaler in my purse and up to date. I never know when I will need it.

    I didn’t ask to be an Asthmatic! It happened, it was not brought on by weight gain or any of the other crap you are spouting. Asthma was something I was born with like thousands of others who are the unlucky to have it!

    Can you actually say you were born a smoker? No, you cann’t! You choose to pick up the habit the day you put that first cigarette to your lips, lit it and inhaled.

    So stop blaming us non-smokers for making it difficult for you to find a place to light up!

  7. Lisa on September 4th, 2014 5:05 am

    @ me & others who choose to be unhealthy & disrespectful, it may be your right to smoke if you want but it’s our choice for the ones who don’t want to smell your garbage to not be around it or our kids, not judging but you probably don’t have insurance/ don’t care about co pays/ or don’t even go to the dr, but I am one that don’t want me or my kids to have to smell it, smokers are very disrespectful & one of the worst litter bugs, although I do agree for taking all unhealthy products out & drs cutting out some of the meds., they hurt too, not all people on inhalers are fat, but if you go to a dr & your fat, well, personally I think the doc ought to make you exercise to lose weight first then see if you really need that inhaler, because I’ve seen people that just couldn’t breathe without that inhaler, news flash, get off the couch, stop playing video games, start walking, ride a bike or just get out for fresh air & stop trying to play the system, people don’t want to know the truth or be insulted, they just want to have their rights, if it took 10 years to get fat it’s gonna take hard work & years to lose it, instead of getting pills for a bad back when your 100 lbs. over weight, well lose weight, if you are one of those trying to quit smoking or drinking, change your environment & friends because those aren’t gonna help unless its someone who don’t do either but I really don’t see smokers & unsmokers being friends

  8. richard on September 3rd, 2014 11:19 pm

    So, you can’t make the choice your self. you need the nanny state to do it for you???

  9. Pop on September 3rd, 2014 9:50 pm

    They just going to go get it somewhere else!

  10. sandra on September 3rd, 2014 9:47 pm

    Its funny that we have people on here complaining about second hand smoke. Here’s a newsflash for you….next time you see that big white blimp flying over Escambia County and you wonder what they are doing? Well they are the EPA and they are doing air quality sampling and guess what? Our air quality is pretty much the lowest in the south and it aint from second hand smoke. Big industry will kill you quicker than that good ole boy smoking a Marlboro red in front of the Winn Dixie.

  11. just thinking on September 3rd, 2014 8:15 pm

    thats fine that they are stopping the sell of tobacco products but if they’re wanting to be for the health of people they should also stop the sell of alcohol products.

  12. just me on September 3rd, 2014 5:25 pm

    yes tobacco does cause alot of health issues, but so does alcohol products they should pull those items also.

  13. old man on September 3rd, 2014 3:12 pm

    That is great I personally feel they should shut down all bars that sell beer wine and whisky it would drastically save some ppls live from drunk drivers

  14. anne on September 3rd, 2014 3:08 pm

    This is free piblicity and CVS knows it. One more thing taken away. I know many veterans who still smoke. While I agree smoking could be unhealthy, let’s put the junk foods they sell on the next punt-it out the door list. Watching obese people in line with their pharmacy bags nad their pile of junk foods on the counter does make one shake their head. Pray for me, do not prey on me. Drug companies are out of control but you won’t read about that problem.

  15. ProudArmyParent on September 3rd, 2014 2:24 pm

    me on September 3rd, 2014 12:17 pm

    “Don’t ya just love this country!!!”

    I SURE DO! I also feel I have the right to breathe clean air, (or as clean as I can get). I’m tired of having to avoid places because “GROWN men” like you want to blow smoke and mess up the air I have to breathe! I’m tired of having to puff on my inhaler because of inconsiderate smokers!

    All I ask for is my RIGHT to breathe!

  16. Nick on September 3rd, 2014 1:38 pm

    To “Me”
    We live in a relatively free market economy so if CVS doesn’t want to sell tabacco they aren’t being discriminatory. Your logic is like saying Chik-fil-a discriminates against atheists because they are closed on Sundays.

  17. YES! on September 3rd, 2014 12:32 pm

    I APPLAUD CVS!!!

  18. me on September 3rd, 2014 12:17 pm

    I hope all tobacco users stop shopping at CVS so they not only lose tobacco sales but all sales generated from that group. I am a grown man and tobacco is legal. If I want to use it then I am going to use it. All CVS has done is show me that they discriminate against those that use tobacco products. Don’t ya just love this country!!!

  19. margielu on September 3rd, 2014 10:48 am

    I applaud CVS for considering the conundrum of selling health-harming tobacco products in a business place that focuses on making folks well, but what about the soda pop, candy, junk food and alcohol they sell? Aren’t those items also prevalent in contributing to disease and illness? They are free to choose what’s on the shelves, so let’s see how “healthy” they want to make their inventory, or if this is a politicized or promotional ‘rebranding’ gimmick.

  20. ProudArmyParent on September 3rd, 2014 9:21 am

    It’s about time. Seemed like a conflict of interest to sell tobacco products and health improvement products! Nothing worse than coming out of the local CVS and someone finishing off a cigarette before they go in.

  21. Joe Walston on September 3rd, 2014 9:17 am

    That’s great I personally feel they should shut all tobacco business sells down it would drastically save some ppls lives from cancer or other illnesses due to tobacco