In its efforts to contribute to a generation that is tobacco-free, CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS) has devoted $50 million for a five-year program. The drug retailer will also put in approximately $10 million in a variety of programs and partnerships this year. Among the programs is Be The First. These programs will run in 2017 and will involve healthy behaviour programming, tobacco-control advocacy and anti-smoking education initiatives.

“CVS Health recognizes that by bringing together experts in the public health community and aggressively implementing strategies to reduce tobacco use, we have the opportunity to deliver the first tobacco-free generation,” CVS Health’s chief medical officer, Troyen Brennan, said.

Elementary level

Introduced last year, Be The First is aimed at young adults and youth who are currently smokers or who are likely to fall into the trap of smoking. The initiative will also be aimed at school children at the elementary level who number around 3 million. In the absence of tobacco education at an early age, these children are likely to become smokers in the future. The initiative will equally be aimed at adults who as smokers expose children to the habit.

Since the initiative began, young people numbering close to 5 million have been reached by CVS Health. The drugs retailer has also assisted universities and colleges numbering around 20 to pursue and enact policies that ensure their campuses are 100% free of tobacco and smoking.

Online courses

Through the five-year program, CVS Health will also set aside $5 million that will be used to fund online course that will be targeted at adults and the youth with the aim of turning them into ambassadors in the fight against tobacco use. The content in the courses will include material that teaches on the effects of tobacco on the youth and ways to advocate for communities that are tobacco-free.

The development has come just as the Kick Butts Day, an anti-tobacco activism day, is set to be marked on March 15.

On Monday shares of CVS Health Corp edged up by 0.05% to close the day at $80.44 a share.