ASHP Applauds CVS Caremark's Move Away from Tobacco Sales

PRESS RELEASE

2/5/2014--The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) applauds the announcement by CVS Caremark today that the company will cease sales of tobacco products in its pharmacies by October 2014.

ASHP has long advocated that pharmacies refrain from selling tobacco products. In addition to policy passed in 1988, the Society published a Therapeutic Position Statement on the pharmacist’s role in smoking cessation efforts that includes strong opposition to the sale or distribution of tobacco products in all health care settings.

“It is contradictory to the role of pharmacies as health care centers to sell tobacco products,” said ASHP CEO Paul W. Abramowitz, Pharm.D., Sc.D. (Hon.), FASHP. “Pharmacists can play an important role in helping patients to quit tobacco use, and I hope that other companies will follow CVS’ example.”