Senator Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is concerned about American pharmacists. There have been about 1,800 pharmacy robberies in the past three years, he has said in calling for increased protection for pharmacists, reports UPI.
Schumer blames the robberies on the increased ability to obtain highly addictive pain medications like Oxycontin, and in a letter to the DEA has called for increased security infrastructure at pharmacies, local access to DEA data on pharmacy thefts and an increase in the maximum sentences for pharmacy related crimes–up to 20 years per offense, according to UPI.
“The guidelines and regulations issued by the DEA to pharmacists do not meet the challenges faced by 21st century pharmacies and do not fully protect pharmacists from the awful violence prescription drug addicts are willing to inflict in order to steal schedule II narcotics and should be updated to reflect this frightening new reality,” Schumer wrote in the letter to the agency.
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