A New Jersey congressman is pressing ahead with a plan to prohibit the sale of tobacco products in drug stores.

Zero Creatives, Getty Images
Zero Creatives, Getty Images
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U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th), along with 11 other members of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, have sent a letter to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, asking them to no longer sell cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products.

"Back in February, CVS -- which is the country's largest drug store chain in terms of overall sales -- announced that it planned to stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products by October of this year," Pallone said. "So I'm basically asking the other chain drug stores to do the same."

He said it just doesn't make sense to sell tobacco in these stores.

"Pharmacies and chain drug stores, basically their purpose really is to improve people's health," Pallone said. "It's inconsistent, if you will, to be selling tobacco because it's dangerous to people's health. The pharmacies are supposed to be a place where people get better; it's not where they get things that make their health worse."

Pallone also said it's no coincidence that tobacco companies continue to try and portray smoking as something that's cool so they can attract younger people to try tobacco.

"I have no doubt," he said, "that the tobacco companies depend upon that, in hopes that they will have someone who will continue to smoke for the rest of their lives."

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