AG encourages drug stores to follow CVS, pull tobacco from their shelves

[hrmjustin]

By Richard Moody

Following the recent actions of the drugstore chain CVS, New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman joined other attorneys general in asking other large pharmacy chains to stop selling tobacco products at their stores.

CVS announced last month the company will stop selling tobacco products at its 7,600 retail stores, and according to Schneiderman's office, it is the first national pharmacy chain to do so. Schneiderman, alongside attorneys general for 28 states and territories including Arizona, Ohio, Nevada, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, sent letters to several drug store chains encouraging them to stop selling tobacco at their stores. The companies included Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Safeway and Kroger.

"Pharmacies and drug stores, which increasingly market themselves as a source of community health care, send a mixed message by continuing to sell deadly tobacco products," Schneiderman said. "The fact that these stores profit from the sale of cigarettes and tobacco must take a backseat to the health of New Yorkers and customers across the country. I urge these companies to do the right thing and remove tobacco products from store shelves."

According to the New York Department of Health, tobacco use is the leading cause of disease and death in New York, resulting in an estimated 25,000 deaths and 570,000 New Yorkers with serious diseases.

http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-03-24-87305.113122-AG-encourages-drug-stores-to-follow-CVS-pull-tobacco-from-their-shelves.html

[pipoman]

1. Geez, who gives a shit?

It is probably old people buying cigarettes there so they don't have to make another stop. If they don't get them there, they will still get them. Maybe the ag should really look at his own wasting of time as a criminal act.