CVS proudly announced that they planned to begin funding their “Be the First” campaign on Thursday. This $50 million campaign works to end smoking particularly around young people in an attempt to create the first generation of individuals who are non-tobacco dependent in America.

Over a year ago, CVS Pharmacy stopped selling cigarettes on the grounds that it interfered with their message that promoted a healthy lifestyle. The pharmacy has lost around $2 billion on their annual sale of tobacco products in an effort to change their image from CVS Caremark to CVS Health.

The decline in smoking over the years in America has been rapidly increasing and thanks to programs like the “Be the First,” a program that CVS has now planned to fund for over five years. The CVS health foundation also plans aid in the funding for this project as well as other foundations working to end smoking for the next generation such as Tobacco-Free Kids.

“I think that CVS’s plans for this campaign, along with all the other projects that are aimed at young people today that encourage a tobacco-free generation, could really put an end to smoking in the years to come,” says WHHS sophomore Melissa Lehman.    

Although their campaign is targeted at the next generation, CVS fully intends to help anyone who is ready to quit smoking by continuing to carry smoking-cessation products and offer tobacco education services in their stores. The path to becoming smoke free does not start in the same place for everyone. “That’s why our program is designed to offer the ‘interested quitter’ many ways to interact with our services,” says Helena Foulkes, President of CVS/pharmacy.

Despite losing the revenue obtained through cigarette sales and shelling out $50 million in funding, CVS does not regret their decision. CVS trusts that their efforts in trying to send a healthy message will attract customers and make up for the lost profit. “It’s about wanting to be seen as good members of the healthcare community,”  says CVS Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Brennan.