Drugstore CVS has pulled all remaining tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco from its shelves nationwide. The removal of these products from its 7,700 pharmacies across the U.S. came a month earlier than expected, as part of a rebranding of the No. 2 drugstore in the country.

CVS Caremark Corp., announced its plans to change to CVS Health in February, and going tobacco-free was a part of the company's switch to play more into the healthcare market. This is the first kind of tobacco ban to be seen in major pharmacies.

"We believe this reflects our broader healthcare environment," Larry Merlo, CVS' chief executive, said. "What this says about CVS is that we're a pharmacy innovation company that is at the forefront of a changing healthcare landscape, and it helps us to play a bigger role in healthcare."

However, the switch could mean a lot less revenue for CVS' bottom line but a unique way to separate itself from its competitors, largely the largest pharmacy retailer in the U.S., Walgreen Co. Estimates from CVS say that it will sacrifice about $1.5 billion in annual tobacco sales, with another $500 million in revenue coming in from associated purchases from customers who visit these stores to buy cigarettes and then purchase additional products from the pharmacies.

Despite these forgone profits, Merlo said that eliminating tobacco from stores removes a "contradiction" and a "growing obstacle" for CVS as it strives to further itself in health and wellness.

Walgreen on the other hand, has also faced criticism from advocacy groups for its tobacco-selling policy despite its claim as a health-focused brand. While Walgreen is also in the midst of a rebranding, its policy on cigarettes and other tobacco products has not changed.

"We believe that if the goal is to truly reduce tobacco use in America, then the most effective thing retail pharmacies can do is address the root causes and help smokers quit," Walgreen said in a statement. "A retail pharmacy ban on tobacco sales would have little to no significant impact on actually reducing the use of tobacco."