cvs health stops selling tobacco Drugstore chain kicks habit a month early CVS Stops Tobacco Sales A

Smoking rates have sharply declined over the past decade from 20.9% of American adults in 2005 to 16.8% in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The significant action we're taking today by removing tobacco products from our retail shelves further distinguishes us in how we are serving our patients, clients and health care providers and better positions us for continued growth in the evolving health care marketplace." Smoking is the leading cause of premature disease and death in the United States with more than 480,000 deaths annually

Available at: *FOR 73% USE A COMBUSTIBLE TOBACCO PRODUCT SOURCE: U.S

Merlo, President and CEO, CVS Caremark

CVS Caremark stunned the business community on February 5, 2014 when it announced that as of October 1, 2014 it would no longer sell tobacco products in its 7600 pharmacies

This is an important, bold public health decision by a major retail pharmacy to act on the long understood reality that blending providing health care and providing cigarettes just doesnt match, said Dr