Sarah Kliff reported in the Washington Post pharmacy chain CVS said Wed., Feb. 5, it will stop selling tobacco products at its 7,600 locations across the United States, a move that public-health advocates hope will pressure other large drug store franchises to follow suit. The company plans to phase out all tobacco sales by Oct. 1. CVS executives said the decision could cost billions of dollars in revenue because cigarettes draw so many customers to their stores. CVS defines its pharmacies as full-fledged health-care providers. Its stores are home to more than 750 MinuteClinics, the country's largest chain of pharmacy-based health clinics, offering flu shots and diagnosis of common ailments like ear infections and strep throat. The company has five stores in Columbia and Greene counties. Read the full story in the Washington Post.