CVS, the nation’s second largest drugstore, has announced that it will phase out tobacco products from its US retail locations over the next several months. By October 1 cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco will no longer be sold by the convenience store pharmacy.

The decision was spurred by CVS’ desire to more closely partner with hospitals and doctors in providing health care services to their customers. CVS CEO Larry Merlo stated, “We’ve come to the conclusion that cigarettes have no place in a setting where health care is being delivered.”

CVS is the first retail pharmacy to stop selling tobacco products and has been praised by President Obama as “set[ting] a powerful example” for the retail industry.

CVS has yet to reveal what item(s) will replace tobacco products at the point of sale. For additional information, read this article from the NY Times.

Soon images like those below will be things of the past at CVS.  Do you have images of tobacco being sold in pharmacies?  Share them here.

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