Total Cigarette Sales Have Dropped Since CVS Stopped Selling Them

The drugstore giant chose to pull all tobacco products from their shelves in 2014, stating that it was contradictory to its "healthcare mission." Since that decision, cigarette purchases have seen a steady decline altogether. Coincidence? I think not.

According to WCVB, a *study in the American Journal of Public Health featured 9,000 households that were then broken up into 3 categories; "those who exclusively buy cigarettes at CVS; those who buy cigarettes at CVS and other locations; and those who buy cigarettes exclusively elsewhere. The study found that 38% of CVS-exclusive shoppers were more likely to stop smoking all together after CVS stopped selling cigarettes."

CVS Health chief medical officer, Dr. Troyen Brennan gave a statement about the study: “This research proves that our decision had a powerful public health impact by disrupting access to cigarettes and helping more of our customers on their path to better health.”

Now I'm not saying that CVS is solely responsible for this overall drop in sales. Obviously there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration (like skyrocket pricing of cigarette packs), but I still believe that CVS is helping to make a difference by refusing to sell tobacco products. I hope that other drugstores and convenience stores take a page from their book and put their customers health before their own wallets.

If you're looking to quit smoking and need a few tips on how to do so, click HERE for more information or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Make smoking history.

*The study was written and paid for by CVS executives.