Smokers in the Syracuse University community might have to start shopping around for their cigarettes.

In an effort to promote good health and curb rising healthcare costs, 7,700 CVS pharmacy stores nationwide have stopped selling tobacco products. The CVS pharmacy on South Crouse Avenue stopped selling tobacco products on Sept. 1.

The change in CVS policy went into effect three weeks in advance. It was originally going to be implemented on October 1, according to a Sept. 3 USA Today article. The pharmacy also changed its corporate name from CVS Caremark to CVS Health.

In a video message to customers, CVS President and CEO Larry Merlo said the new policy would help people to manage chronic disease and reduce healthcare costs.

“Tobacco products have no place in a setting where healthcare is delivered,” Merlo said in the video message.

Felicia Tiu-Laurel, a sophomore international relations and Middle Eastern studies major who smokes cigarettes, said CVS not offering cigarettes will make things a little more difficult, but there are other stores where she can buy them.

Eric Young, an employee at Smoker’s Choice on the corner of South Crouse Avenue and East Adams Street, said he has seen an increase of customers in the past few days.

As of Saturday, Young said he estimated that after the CVS policy went into effect, at least 20 different people had come into Smoker’s Choice to buy cigarettes. He also predicted “a steady increase of customers” in the future.

But while Smoker’s Choice may have seen an increase in customers, the consumption of tobacco nationwide has been declining recently. Data from the American Lung Association shows that the number of smokers in the U.S. has declined from 42.4 percent in 1965 to 20.6 percent in 2009. When it comes to smokers between ages 18 and 24, the percentage drops by more than half.

Though the new CVS policy is striving to reduce these numbers even more, some students question whether the fact that CVS has stopped selling tobacco products will make a difference.

Diego Garcia-Espinoza, a junior sociology major on the pre-law track who does not smoke, said he feels people are overreacting to the new CVS policy and that its effects are a “little bit exaggerated.”

He remains doubtful that people would consider abandoning their smoking habits because of this new policy.

“If you are old enough and able to get them,” he said, “there is other places to get them.”

But Jose Sanchez, a freshman architecture major, said he thought it was strange that the pharmacies ever sold tobacco, given that they also sell anti-nicotine products that are meant to help people stop smoking.

“It is like there is no reason that pharmacies should be selling harmful substance in the first place,” he said.

Sanchez, who does not smoke, said he supports CVS’s new policy against selling tobacco products.

“I hope it helps people quit smoking,” he said.

Published on September 8, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Satoshi: [email protected] | @SatoshiJournal