WASHINGTON – Close to three months ago, CVS said that by October, it would no longer sell tobacco products in its stores. Now, a dozen House members sent a letter to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) urging its members to follow suit, the Consumerist reports.

Less than a week after the CVS announcement, eight U.S. Senators called upon other drugstores to also ban tobacco sales. Meanwhile, last month, 28 state attorneys general also added their voice to the effort, urging pharmacy retailers to stop selling tobacco products.

Yesterday, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), along with 11 other members of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, signed a letter to Steven Anderson, president and CEO of NACDS, asking the chains to get out of the tobacco selling business.

“Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States,” said Pallone. “Removing tobacco products from the shelves of local pharmacies shows a real commitment to improving the health of consumers. We have a responsibility to protect our young people, and making these harmful products less available is an important step in the right direction.”

The letter requested the association “to urge all of your member retailers to stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products in their stores. … Chain community pharmacies are an important player in the health care system and as such can play a critical role in addressing the nation’s tobacco epidemic and improving public health. As the delivery of our health system evolves and we continue to focus on better health outcomes and controlling costs, we believe that cigarettes and other tobacco products have no place in a setting where health care is delivered. By supporting removal of tobacco products from retail pharmacy shelves and increasing access to tobacco cessation products, your members will send an unequivocal message about the dangers of tobacco use.”