The US Chamber of Commerce Does Not Care About Your Health

Now, I suppose we shouldn't be surprised that an organization devoted to business interests is only interested in business, but I admit that I was surprised when the New York Times uncovered the fact that the US Chamber of Commerce has been trying to get rid of anti-smoking campaigns in other countries in order to sell US tobacco products. Now, in what we can only hope will be the start of a larger movement, CVS Pharmacy, which recently dropped tobacco products from its stores for health reasons, has resigned from the US Chamber of Commerce.

“We were surprised to read recent press reports concerning the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s position on tobacco products outside the United States,” David R. Palombi, a senior vice president at the company, said in a statement. “CVS Health’s purpose is to help people on their path to better health, and we fundamentally believe tobacco use is in direct conflict with this purpose.”

The evidence is conclusive that tobacco use is harmful to your health. To ignore health science in favor of a business making money is not only wrong, it is bad economics. A healthy population is economically more productive and that is what everyone should be working towards.