CITY HALL — The mayor cheered Wednesday's decision by a top national drug-store chain to halt tobacco sales.
"I think this is an incredible ... bold decision, the right decision," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said after Wednesday's City Council meeting.
CVS announced Wednesday that it would halt all tobacco sales by October.
Emanuel said he had called CVS Chief Executive Officer Larry Merlo Wednesday morning to congratulate him on the move.
"He realized their mission is one of health care, not only as a pharmacy, but as a company," Emanuel said. "And you couldn't, in one aisle, be dealing with helping people on their health, and in another aisle be selling tobacco."
Emanuel called it "true corporate citizenship and responsibility," even as "it will no doubt affect their bottom line."
Emanuel applauded the move as a continuing trend including the city's hike of tobacco taxes and restrictions on menthols and e-cigarettes.
