CVS Health

CVS Health was welcomed as a Live Well San Diego recognized partner on November 20, 2014 during the Great American Smokeout celebration. CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company whose purpose is helping people on their path to better health. Earlier this year, CVS Health announced that they would end the sale of tobacco products in their 7,800 CVS/pharmacy locations nationwide, including more than 72 retail pharmacies in San Diego.  And in September, they had completely exited the category and remain the first national retail pharmacy to be tobacco free.

CVS Health also launched a comprehensive smoking cessation campaign to help the 7 in 10 smokers who want to quit.  The program combines education, medication and coaching to offer the support people need to quit and stay tobacco free.

CVS Health has also committed to support community organizations that have smoking cessation & prevention programs and has partnered with the County of San Diego’s Health and Human Services Agency to promote a tobacco cessation pilot in behavioral health settings, demonstrating their role as a key partner in the County’s system-wide conversion to tobacco-free environments. The partnership includes a $75,000 commitment from CVS Health to the American Lung Association in California to provide tobacco cessation training for County of San Diego behavioral health and alcohol/drug treatment providers, nicotine replacement therapies and carbon monoxide monitors to assess clients’ progress.  These three elements have been identified by the County’s Behavioral Health Services’ providers as the most important factors for providing effective treatment options for clients with mental health and/or alcohol/drug issues.  Furthermore, CVS Health continues its commitment to social responsibility by encouraging local members to make positive change in their community through community grant programs, foundation giving and corporate volunteer initiatives.

“I would like to thank the County of San Diego for this partnership, which closely aligns with our purpose at CVS Health,” announced Doug Palmieri, CVS Health Regional Operations Manager in San Diego. “This partnership is new and exciting for our team and is a unique way to help the County’s Behavioral Health Services population who want to quit smoking. This is one of the proudest moments of my 20 years with our company and I’m thrilled we are partnering with best-in-class  organizations like the American Lung Association.”

Together, the County of San Diego and CVS Health hope to make incredible progress and a lasting impact toward “Building Healthier Communities” as partners under the Live Well San Diego initiative.