A CVS. (Photo: KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images)
Smoking is out at City Hall.
City politicians took to Twitter today to applaud CVS’s announcement that its stores will no longer sell tobacco after Oct. 1.
“Thanks to @CVS_Extra for taking bold action to improve public health & make vision of a #tobaccofree generation one step closer to reality,” wrote Comptroller Scott Stinger, a longtime anti-smoking activist.
Congresswoman Grace Meng of Queens hailed the CVS decision as an investment in the city’s youth. “@CVS_Extra’s decision will help combat #tobacco use among kids throughout NYC and the entire the country. #safekids,” she wrote.
“Bravo,” added Councilman Mark Levine. “Will others follow suit?”
Former Mayor and anti-smoking crusader Michael Bloomberg also weighed in with a statement on his website. “CVS’s decision to eliminate tobacco sales is a major milestone in the effort to reduce tobacco use,” Mr. Bloomberg wrote, “and it sets a new bar for all companies that market themselves as pharmacies and health care centers.”
And Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda said the news was a spot of sunshine in the midst of yet another snowstorm. “Some good non-weather related news today,” the politician tweeted.
