CVS no longer sells cigarettes, tobacco products
CVS, one of the largest pharmacy chains in the United States, has made good on its promise to stop selling tobacco products and replace them with nicotine substitutes in all of its stores.
Bloomberg reports that the company has announced the completion of its plan to remove all tobacco products from its shelves more than a month ahead of schedule. The company announced the plans to stop selling tobacco products in Feb. 2014.
The change is part of a rebranding effort that is intended to put CVS at the forefront of the pharmacy industry. The company will also rename itself CVS Health, according to Bloomberg. CVS Health is the first national chain to stop the sale of tobacco products in all its locations.
According to the press release on the CVS website that announced the removal of tobacco products from CVS outlets nationwide, there are around 7,700 CVS Health locations. Bloomberg notes that CVS employs roughly 26,000 pharmacists and nurse practitioners.
The nurse practitioners are a key part of CVS' rebranding efforts. They work in locations called "Minute Clinics" where people can go for basic medical exams and vaccinations. There are 900 of these clinics throughout the United States.
The release notes that in some states, CVS stores did not sell tobacco products even before this nationwide initiative. California and Massachusetts are the two most prominent examples.
The decision was hailed by executive of CVS. "CVS Health is always looking for ways to promote health and reduce the burden of disease," said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health. "Putting an end to the sale of cigarettes and tobacco will make a significant difference in reducing the chronic illnesses associated with tobacco use."
