After CVS followed through with its corporate pledge last week to stop selling tobacco products of all kinds, Sen. Richard Blumenthal stood in front of a Hartford Walgreens and called on all other big pharmacy chains to do the same.
"A company that promotes health and wellness cannot profit from death and addiction, and this is inevitably what smoking causes,” said Blumenthal.
CVS became the first chain to stop selling all tobacco products including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and cigars.
It's the largest chain of retail pharmacies in America and reports earnings of more than $120 billion each year. Tobacco-related sales account for about $2 billion.
Blumenthal said CVS stepped up to do the right thing and that Walgreens and Rite Aid need to follow suit.
“I hope that customers will reward CVS and likewise put pressure on Walgreens and Rite Aid and other pharmacy chains to do the right thing, do it as soon as possible, just as CVS said it will.”
Rite Aid and Walgreens did not return a request for comment.
