(wikipedia.org)

"Put simply the sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose, " said CEO Larry J. Merlo in a statement. 

The decision will serve as a landmark in company policies. No major retailer has banned tobacco since Target in 1996.   

With CVS branding themsleves as a health store and pharmacuetical sales softening in the US economy, the change shouldn't be a surprise. According to Timothy Martin of the Wall Street Journal, it's a genious PR move.

"CVS now wants to cater to people with long term health conditions like diabetes or hypertension," said Martin in an interview with NPR this morning.

CVS earns 1.5 billion in revenue per year from tobacco sales, but it doesn't expect the change to affect their 2014 forecast. The company is waging that building relationships with hospitals and other helath care facilities will make up for losses. The company brought in more the 123 billion in 2012.

Tobacco is responsible for 480,000 deaths per year according to the Food and Drug Admnistration.

"Bravo to CVS for breaking their tobacco habit!," says Newsday columnist, Jonathan Weil.

The company declined to say what products will take the place of tobacco's typically premium shelf real-estate.

Read more at the LA Times.

Reach Executive Producer Michelle Bergmann here.