Stop & Shop, a grocery chain with 360 stores in the northeastern United States, including stores in the Bronx neighborhoods of Kingsbridge, Morris Park, Co-op City, Crotona and Baychester, announced Tuesday that it would stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products by August 31.
The company’s decision follows similar retailers — such as CVS, Target, Wegmans and Wal-Mart — that have stopped selling tobacco products. It also comes at a time when municipalities continue to raise the prices of tobacco products to encourage healthy lifestyles.
“Our responsibility as a grocer extends far beyond our shelves, and we are committed to taking bold steps to help our associates, customers and communities achieve better health outcomes,” said Gordon Reid, president of Stop & Shop, in a statement. “From our team of board-certified dietitians who serve our customers free of charge to our trained and trusted pharmacy associates, Stop & Shop aims to support the health and well-being of the neighborhoods we serve – and this exit from the tobacco business is another way we’re achieving that goal.”
According to NYC Smoke-Free, the Bronx has the second highest adult smoking rate in the five boroughs, just behind Staten Island. About 11.7% of adults in the Bronx smoke, slightly less than the 11.9% in Staten Island. The citywide smoking rate is 8.7%.
According to the New York State Department of Health, New Yorkers who are insured with Medicaid or unemployed are more likely to smoke than the general adult population, as are residents who earn less than $25,000 a year, have less than a high school diploma, frequently report mental health problems, or live with a disability.
The borough’s double-digit smoking rate and high levels of air pollution in some neighborhoods also likely put Bronx residents at high risk for health complications.
Smoking remains banned in New York City.
In 2017, New York City passed a minimum pricing law that raised the minimum price of a pack of cigarettes to $13, increasing the financial burden on smokers.
Now that New York Mayor Eric Adams’ “Operation Padlock to Protect” is shutting down numerous illegal tobacco shops across the city — which often sell cheap moonshine cigarettes — tobacco is becoming increasingly expensive and difficult to buy in the Bronx.
Whether financial or health-related, there are resources available for Bronx residents looking to leave the smoke cloud behind. Stop & Shop emphasized its commitment to community health in its statement.
“We welcome anyone who wants to quit smoking to come in and meet one of our specially trained, dedicated pharmacists. They are our partners in supporting our customers in whatever way they want,” says Katie Thornell, Head of Pharmacy at Stop & Shop.
For more smoking cessation resources and programs, visit:
New York State Smokers’ Hotline
https://www.nysmokefree.com/
866-NY-QUITS (866-697-8487)
Chinese (800-838-8917)
Korean (800-556-5564)
Vietnamese (800-778-8440)
Apply for a free starter pack of nicotine medication and speak to a quit coach
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive cancer center
Be BOLD – Smoking cessation program
Free program
1300 Morris Park Ave.
Bronx, NY 10461
718-430-2697
English and Spanish
Call or email [email protected] Register
NYC Health+Hospitals/Jacobi
Smoking cessation program
1400 Pelham Parkway S.
Building 1, Room 4W2
Bronx, NY 10461
718-918-3907
Call to schedule an appointment. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
NYC Health+Hospitals/Lincoln
Smoking cessation program
234 E. 149th Street.
Bronx, NY 10451
718-579-4943 or 718-579-6570
English and Spanish
Get a referral from a Lincoln Hospital provider. Monday and Friday, 1:40 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:40 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
