CVS Health Corp. is quitting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,
citing conflicting stances with the powerful lobbying group
regarding smoking.
The second-largest pharmacy chain in the U.S., the Rhode Island
pharmacy stopped selling cigarettes and tobacco products last year
as it positions itself as a wide-ranging health-care provider
rather than a traditional pharmacy dispensing drugs.
"CVS Health's purpose is to help people on their path to better
health, and we fundamentally believe tobacco use is in direct
conflict with this purpose," the company said Tuesday in an emailed
statement.
The move follows a New York Times report that said the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce, the nation's largest business lobby with more
than three million members, was working to fight antismoking laws
around the world.
The Chamber of Commerce rebutted the claims, saying, "This
organization is not in the business of promoting cigarette smoking
at home or abroad, period."
"The Chamber believes that public health policy aimed at curbing
smoking can yield positive results, while still upholding
intellectual property protections, honoring international
agreements, and not singling out any specific industry for
discriminatory treatment or destruction of company brands," it said
in a statement posted on its website.
CVS—which has agreed to buy Target Corp.'s pharmacy business in
a $1.9 billion deal—reported a profit of $4.7 billion on $139.4
billion in revenue last year, up from $4.6 billion and $126.8
billion in sales a year earlier.
Write to Maria Armental at maria.armental@wsj.com
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