A Stop to Smoking

Big news around the web is a national call to end smoking.  Just yesterday I read an article on NBC News about the FDA's latest campaign to get Americans to put down the cigarette by targeting teenagers 11-16 years old.  With one year and $115 million, the FDA hopes its "Real Cost" ad campaign will reach its target audience and keep teenagers from picking up the habit in the first place.  Here is one of the print ads the FDA will use in magazines like Teen Vogue:

Graphic, bold and in your face.  While I am not in the target audience, this ad certainly received my attention.  Some interesting facts I learned in the article was that 90% of today's adult smokers began at age 18.  Therefore if the FDA is on the right track with this new advertising tactic, that number will drop over the next few years.

After the Food and Drug Administration released this news, CVS Caremark announced it would no longer be selling cigarettes and tobacco products by October 1.  I first read about this on CNN.  My first thought was, "Yah right, the tobacco industry is too lucrative.  CVS will take a major financial hit".  Then I kept reading, and CNN writer, Elizabeth Landau addressed my concern: "Stopping cigarette sales comes at a price. CVS Caremark estimates it will take an annual loss of $2 billion from tobacco shoppers -- $1.5 billion in tobacco sales and the rest from other products tobacco shoppers purchase while in the store."  However CVS is standing its ground and wants to support the national initiative to keep America and its youth healthy.  Landau reported CVS Caremark's CEO, Larry J. Merlo as saying, "Ending the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS/pharmacy is the right thing for us to do for our customers and our company to help people on their path to better health.  Put simply, the sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose."

Ultimately, I think this a positive decision on CVS's part.  Having the cooperation of major retailers will help to increase the success of the FDA's mission.  Even First Lady Michelle Obama was excited by CVS's choice:

Thanks @CVS_Extra, now we can all breathe a little easier, and our families can live healthier. –mo
— FLOTUS (@FLOTUS) February 5, 2014

I know this isn't typically what I post about, but I felt the issue was important.  If you smoke or know someone who does, think about the long term side effects.  And if you won't quit for yourself, do it for your family.  They don't deserve to lose someone at the hand of a cigarette.