WILMINGTON, Del. — Congressman John Carney, a member of the Delaware Cancer Consortium since its creation in 2001, released the following statement today on CVS Caremark’s decision to stop selling tobacco products.  CVS will remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from its 7,600 stores by October 1, 2014.  

“I applaud CVS Caremark’s decision to take cigarettes and other tobacco products off of its shelves.  As a member of the Delaware Cancer Consortium for more than a decade, I have seen the data and heard the stories of how smoking ruins lives.  Every year, 1,200 Delawareans and nearly 500,000 Americans nationwide die from tobacco-related diseases.  Tobacco also increases healthcare costs with billions spent each year to treat these diseases.”

“CVS’s commitment means they are willing to put the health of their customers above their own bottom line.  Their decision shows real leadership in the effort to prevent young people from starting to smoke, and help existing smokers quit this dangerous addiction.”
 

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