Consumer group praises CVS for leadership on reducing American tobacco use – National Consumers League
February 6, 2014
Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein, (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org
Washington, DC—The National Consumers League, the nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy organization, established in 1899, applauds CVS Caremark for its decision to stop selling tobacco products in their stores nationwide by October 2014. This decision will remove tobacco products from 7,600 stores and makes CVS the first national pharmacy chain to cease the sale of tobacco products.
Smoking is the leading cause of premature death in the United States, with 480,000 deaths annually. The number of Americans who use tobacco products has decreased drastically in the last 50 years – in 1965, 42 percent of Americans smoked, today, 18 percent of Americans smoke. In the last ten years, however, the rate of smokers has remained stagnant.
“This decision demonstrates that CVS is willing to put the nation’s health above profits,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director. “Reducing the percentage of Americans who smoke is a challenge that will require collaboration by both private and public actors. We hope that other national chain drug retailers follow suit.”
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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
