You Can No Longer Buy Cigarettes at CVS

The national drug store chain CVS Health (formerly CVS Caremark) announced that it has removed cigarettes and tobacco products from the shelves of all 7,700 locations, ahead of its previously targeted date. It is the first and only national drug store chain in the United States to ban the sales of cigarettes and tobacco products from their stores.

CVS Health first announced plans in February to phase out the sale of all tobacco products by October 1. A study by the retailer found that local ordinances to eliminate the sale of tobacco products in Boston and San Francisco were associated with a 13.3% reduction in number of households purchasing tobacco products and a 5.5% reduction in the number of tobacco users after the bans were enacted.

The retailer will also offer a personalized smoking cessation program that will include an assessment of the smoker’s readiness to quit, education to give smokers the information and tools they need to quit, medication support to help curb the desire to use tobacco, and coaching to help individuals stay motivated and prevent relapses.

For more information visit CVS.com.

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