Walgreens announced Tuesday that it was raising the required age to purchase tobacco products to from 18 to 21.
The legal age to buy tobacco products remains at age 18 for both the U.K. and the United States, but Walgreens is still looking to change their policies, CNN reports.
Walgreens has decided to raise its minimum age for tobacco sales at its more than 9,500 stores nationwide. https://t.co/6FIPWPZsXg
— CBSDFW (@CBSDFW) April 23, 2019
“We’ve seen positive results from other recent efforts to strengthen our policies related to tobacco sales, and believe this next step can be even more impactful to reduce its use among teens and young adults,” said Richard Ashworth, Walgreens president of operations.
“Through ongoing training and certification for pharmacists and technicians, we also continue to help and support people looking to quit the use of tobacco in their lives,” he added. (RELATED: FDA Commissioner Goes After Walgreens And Other Retailers Allegedly Selling Tobacco To Minors)
Matthew Myers, the president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, claims Walgreens is only following the trend of limiting sales and called for the pharmacy to stop selling tobacco products altogether.
“Walgreens shouldn’t be selling tobacco products, period.”
Walgreens has decided to ban tobacco sales to minors several weeks after a federal official called the drugstore chain a top violator of laws restricting access to cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and other products. https://t.co/6Rrem4F6MZ
— KELOLAND News (@keloland) April 23, 2019
Walgreens’ competitor CVS stopped selling tobacco products in 2014.
“CVS Health became the first national retail pharmacy chain to stop selling tobacco products in all of our stores because it conflicted with our purpose of helping people on their path to better health,” the store said in a statement on its website.
