CVS Quits U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Over Smoking Issue
The drug store chain -- the first to remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from its stores last year -- said it was leaving over the lobbying group's stance on smoking. The chamber has led a global campaign against anti-smoking laws, according to a report in The New York Times.
The New York Times:
CVS Health Quits U.S. Chamber Over Stance On Smoking
The CVS Health Corporation said on Tuesday that it would resign from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce after revelations that the chamber and its foreign affiliates were undertaking a global lobbying campaign against antismoking laws. CVS, which last year stopped selling tobacco products in its stores, said the lobbying activity ran counter to its mission to improve public health. (Hakim, 7/7)
The Washington Post:
CVS Health Leaves U.S. Chamber Of Commerce
CVS, which became the first major drug store to remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from all of its stores last year, said it was "surprised" by reports that the Chamber had lobbied foreign governments to ease restrictions on tobacco sales. "CVS Health’s purpose is to help people on their path to better health, and we fundamentally believe tobacco use is in direct conflict with this purpose," CVS spokesman David Palombi said in a statement. (Bogage, 7/7)
The Wall Street Journal:
CVS Health Leaves U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Over Smoking Stance
CVS Health Corp. is quitting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, citing conflicting stances with the powerful lobbying group regarding smoking. The second-largest pharmacy chain in the U.S., the Rhode Island pharmacy stopped selling cigarettes and tobacco products last year as it positions itself as a wide-ranging health-care provider rather than a traditional pharmacy dispensing drugs. (Armental, 7/7)
The Associated Press:
CVS Leaving US Chamber Of Commerce In Tobacco Tiff
CVS Health is leaving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, saying the trade group's position on tobacco products is incompatible with CVS' focus on health. The Chamber of Commerce said its position on tobacco products is being misinterpreted and it's unfortunate that a company is leaving the organization over the issue. (7/7)
Meanwhile, most Americans favor raising the minimum age to buy cigarettes to 21 -
The Washington Post:
Should You Have To Be 21 To Buy Cigarettes? Most Americans Say Yes.
Three out of every four U.S. adults — including nearly 7 of 10 smokers — favor raising the minimum legal age to buy tobacco products to 21, according to findings released Tuesday by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, the minimum legal age for tobacco use is 18 in most states, 19 in four states — Alaska, Alabama, New Jersey and Utah — and 21 in various municipalities across the country, from Needham, Mass., to New York City. Hawaii is the only state that prohibits the purchase of tobacco products to anyone under 21. (Dennis, 7/7)
