CVS expands campaign to battle teen vaping

CVS Health on Tuesday announced a $2 million dollar initiative to end youth vaping, touting its success pulling tobacco products from pharmacy shelves in 2014.

The initiative, which will expand on an existing $50 million dollar commitment to ending smoking, includes smoking cessation programs both though CVS Caremark and through Aetna Better Health managed Medicaid plans.

{mosads}The investment will also go toward providing educational materials and tools to prevent smoking and vaping to clinicians.

“Five years ago, we knew exiting tobacco was the right thing to do for our company and for the health of our customers and the communities we serve,” CEO and President Larry Merlo said in a statement.

“But our decision to eliminate tobacco was just the start. As a health care company now combined with Aetna, we continue to take bold steps to develop and deliver innovative solutions for the communities we serve, one individual and one community at a time,” he added.

Vaping has come under increased scrutiny as an alternative form of smoking as its popularity has skyrocketed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed last month that it has received reports of 215 possible cases of lung illness tied to vaping.

Illinois state officials also reported last month that one person died after experiencing a vaping-related lung illness.

Updated at 11:20 a.m.