CVS Kicks Tobacco off Store Shelves

 CVS Drugstores pull tobacco from their shelves in a game-changing move for the drugstore industry. It’s the first national pharmacy chain ever to take cigarettes completely off the shelves.

 Evan Zeppos, Executive Director of Public Relations at Laughlin Constable, praised the controversial decision. He is not affiliated with either CVS or the tobacco industry but says the strategy is bold.

10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\"> 10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\">“There's little doubt that other competitors are going to look at this, and not just drugstores or pharmacies, but other businesses as do we want to have these products on the shelves?\" Zeppos said.

10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\"> 10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\">The decision also sticks it to tobacco companies, the possible backlash that could follow would mean fewer stores selling cigarettes.

10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\">\"The tobacco companies have been a war with government regulators and the marketplace for decades, Zeppos said.\"

10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\";color:green\"> 10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\">Meanwhile Brew-city folks are also siding with CVS. Mark Lafrenz had just grabbed a pack of cigarettes from an East Milwaukee store. He says he won’t stop shopping at the chain, even agreeing that smoking is a vice.

10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\"> 10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\">\"No one really ought to be smoking. It is bad for me,” Lafrenz said.

10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\"> 10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\">However the impact will be great. CVS could lose $2 billion in revenue. The company says selling tobacco just doesn’t fit their health and wellness image. Zeppos says they’ll more than make up for it with a brand new image.

10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\"> 10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\">\"They're someway or  another going to find a way to make more money still, whether it's because of the extra shelf space or their ability to reposition their brand as a stronger health and wellness company, Zeppos said.\"

10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\"> 10.0pt;font-family:\"Microsoft Sans Serif\",\"sans-serif\"\">CVS hasn’t revealed what it will replace tobacco with, but they do not currently carry the alternative smoking device, e-cigarettes.