CVS Quits Smoking, Starts Acting Like a Real Know-It-All
CVS abruptly quit smoking last night and with one day clean, they're trying really hard to project an image of healthy living.
In addition to ditching the smokes, the corporation legally changed its name, from CVS Corporate to CVS Health.
"We see ourselves as a healthcare company," CVS Health Chief Medical Officer Troy Brennan told CBS. "So selling a product in our stores that was actually causing people health problems really doesn't make any sense.
In truth, the company's abrupt cold turkey is a bit more cynical than that—cigarettes reportedly accounted for only two percent of the company's sales, and sales have dropped as more and more Americans quit smoking each year.
CVS Health CEO Larry J. Merlo also told reporters new partnerships with health systems will more than make up for the $2 billion loss.
"It really reflects our purpose as a company," says Merlo. "Helping people on their path to better health. When you think about the people that we serve, health is everything."
CVS stores will still sell alcohol, junk food, and energy drinks.
[image via AP]