smoking cessation

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CVS Health Collage

Jessica Klepac is Director of Design for GLOBALHealthPR US Partner and Chair, Spectrum.

I’m not a smoker, but as a designer I can appreciate brilliant marketing. So I had to grab “The Last Pack” when I was in a CVS pharmacy last weekend.

I’m sure you’ve heard by now that as of September 1, you can no longer buy cigarettes at CVS. And in addition to removing cigarettes from its shelves, the company adopted a new name – CVS Health. I read the news and saw the story online, but until I walked into a CVS I did not realize the extent to which the company embraced the “health” part of its new name. CVS quit cigarettes and is trying to help customers quit, too, with a pretty creative campaign.

As soon as I walked into the store I was greeted by signs that read, “Ready To Quit?” and “Let’s Quit Together.” After quickly grabbing the few items I needed, I stood in line and took in the whole store. Everywhere I turned, CVS was sending me a message, letting me know they had my back if I was ready to quit smoking. Again, not a smoker, but it sure did impress me. [Read more…] about This Makes Me Want to Quit Smoking. And I Don’t Even Smoke!

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In today’s post, John J. Seng, GLOBALHealthPR Chair and Spectrum Founder & CEO, discusses the recent actions of CVS, the first major US pharmacy retailer to stop selling tobacco products.

cvs health logo
CVS Health

I was happy to read just now that HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell saluted CVS Health today for stamping out cigarette sales as of today, one month earlier than the company pledge of October 1.

Her statement is short enough to reprint here:

We applaud CVS Health for becoming tobacco-free and ending the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at its 7,700 CVS/pharmacy locations. CVS accomplished their goal one month ahead of their deadline of October 1.

We also commend CVS Health on the launch of their national and personalized smoking cessation program.

CVS Heath’s tobacco free policy is an unprecedented step in the retail industry, and will have an impact in bringing our country closer to achieving a tobacco-free generation, a call to action that we announced in January.

We hope others will follow CVS Health’s lead in this important new step to curtail tobacco use.

“We hope others will follow CVS Health’s lead…” Hmmm, as I read that last sentence, I thought of another major retailer, err, wholesale warehouse concern which still has the chance to follow and do the right thing when it comes to reducing heart disease and cancer in the US: Costco Wholesale. [Read more…] about The New “CVS Health” Gets It