By Sarah Hughes and Chelsey Schweitzer

CVS Pharmacy has decided to stop selling cigarettes and all tobacco products in their stores.

It seems the company wants to focus on their image and expanding role in healthcare. Management has heavily considered the impacts this might have on business, but ultimately thinks it’s a move for “future growth.”

Larry Merlo, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CVS Caremark explained his moves for “long term success” on CBS This Morning.

“It’s a real contradiction to talk about all the things we’re doing with people to help them on their path to better health and at the same time sell tobacco products,” Merlo said.

An employee at the CVS across from CSUSM on south Twin Oaks Valley Road confirmed the plans, which will take effect on Oct. 1, 2014.

Besides abandoning sale of cigarettes, the move that has made CVS seem more geared toward health care is the availability of MinuteClinics. Their predecessor, QuickMedX centers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area began in May 2000, to provide quick care for common conditions. These centers changed to MinuteClinics in Dec. 2002. There are now more than 800 locations in 28 states and the District of Columbia. The CVS website seems to tout the pharmacy’s changing focus to convenient wellness.

“Your pharmacy is always open. Spend less time at the pharmacy and more time watching winning goals and ballet recitals with myCVS Pharmacy,” their homepage said.

The Cougar Chronicle will be conducting an anonymous survey on the subject of cigarettes. If you would like to take it, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MMVZN36. It will be followed up on in a story later this semester.