NEW: Kilmartin Urges More Pharmacies to Stop Selling Tobacco in RI
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, has called on the nation's five largest five largest retailers with pharmacies – Rite-Aid, Walmart, Walgreens, Kroger and Safeway – to follow the example set by CVS/Caremark and cease selling tobacco products at stores throughout the United States.
With the health and protection of Rhode Island citizens in mind, Kilmartin joined several other attorneys general in urging the move.
Letter to Retailers
In a letter sent to the retail giants, Kilmartin wrote, “There is a contradiction having these dangerous and devastating tobacco products on the shelves of a retail chain that services health care needs. The availability of such products in a retail store that also serves as a pharmacy normalizes tobacco use.”
The letter continued, “The normalization and easy availability of tobacco products represent a significant threat to youth, who are particularly susceptible to social and environmental encouragement to use tobacco.”
In a separate letter to CVS/Caremark, Kilmartin and fellow attorneys general commended the company for being the first national pharmacy chain to prioritize public health by choosing to stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products, applauding the company’s leadership in taking a significant step forward toward promoting better public health.
Kilmartin and the other attorneys general wrote, “CVS has demonstrated great corporate leadership by committing to eliminate tobacco products from its 7,600 retail stores.”
The letter went on to commend CVS for, “taking the lead role in acknowledging that eliminating the sale of tobacco products by retailers who service health care needs and reducing the availability of tobacco products are important steps in reducing the harm caused by tobacco in the United States and promoting public health.”
Related Articles
- Kilmartin to Host Shred-a-Thons For Nat. Consumer Protection Week
- NEW:: Kilmartin Says State Will Receive Over $647k from Pfizer Lawsuit
- NEW: Kilmartin Offers Black Friday Survival Tips
- NEW: AG Kilmartin Warns RI Football Fans of Possible Ticket Scams
- Palumbo, Kilmartin Renew Call for Better Tracking of Sex Offenders
- NEW: Kilmartin Secures $7,300 for Town of Warren
- NEW: Tobacco Free RI Applauds CVS for Decision to Quit Tobacco
- NEW: AG Kilmartin Warns of Jury Duty and Arrest Warrant Scam in RI
- RI AG Kilmartin Spent, Fundraised Thousands in Florida
- NEW: Kilmartin and Verizon Wireless Team-up to Benefit Victims of Domestic Violence
- Valentine’s Day Redux: Saturday Night Live’s CVS Parody
- NEW: AG Kilmartin—Mortgage Settlement Checks Mailing This Month
- Richard August: Kilmartin Speaks On Guns
- NEW: Kilmartin slams ACLU for “one-sided” view of APRA enforcement
- AG Kilmartin Announces a $40.1 Million Settlement with CareFusion
- NEW: General Peter Kilmartin Warns Not to Inflate Prices After Hurricane
- NEW: Kilmartin Applauds Congress for Extending Mortgage Debt Relief
- NEW: Kilmartin to Honor Individuals and Organizations at Justice Awards
- AG Kilmartin Warns Consumers to Read Fine Print on Gym Memberships
- NEW: Kilmartin Announces $600 Million Settlement with Amgen
- NEW: Kilmartin Calls on Congress to Extend Tax Relief for Distressed Homeowners
- CONSUMER ALERT: Yahoo Notifies AG Kilmartin of Security Breach
- NEW: Kilmartin to Represent National AG Association in Moscow
- NEW: Kilmartin Joins $7 Million Settlement Over Google Street View
- Kilmartin Could Be Vulnerable to Hodgson in RI AG’s Race
- NEW: Kilmartin’s “Open Government Summit” to be Streamed Live
- NEW: Kilmartin Joins Multi-State Coalition in Action to Curb Climate Change Pollution