New York City pharmacies banned from selling cigarettes
New York City pharmacies are prohibited from selling cigarettes and other tobacco products, thanks to a bill which went into effect on Jan. 1.
The bill, which was signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2017, also prohibits pharmacies from selling e-cigarettes and was part of a package of anti-smoking bills that also raised the minimum price of cigarettes to $13 a pack.
“People trust pharmacies to help them stay well — they should be helping smokers quit, not the opposite,” Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Herminia Palacio said in a statement.
Many pharmacies have voluntarily stopped selling tobacco products, including CVS Health, which discontinued selling cigarettes in 2014.
About 500 pharmacies still sell tobacco products, according to the city.
The bill, which was signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2017, also prohibits pharmacies from selling e-cigarettes and was part of a package of anti-smoking bills that also raised the minimum price of cigarettes to $13 a pack.
“People trust pharmacies to help them stay well — they should be helping smokers quit, not the opposite,” Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Herminia Palacio said in a statement.
Many pharmacies have voluntarily stopped selling tobacco products, including CVS Health, which discontinued selling cigarettes in 2014.
About 500 pharmacies still sell tobacco products, according to the city.