AS THE US opioid abuse epidemic continues to claim lives at a rapid rate, the search for the heroin high is creating a dangerous situation for pharmacies, reports CNBC.
Police have responded to over 500 pharmacy robberies in Illinois and Indiana since 2012, according to statistics compiled by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
In many security camera videos, pharmacists and their staff members can be seen being threatened, pushed or held at gunpoint by robbers who are demanding opioids and anti-anxiety medications which are known to ease withdrawal and mellow a high.
According to the US National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the thefts may end up having the harshest effect on patients who genuinely need prescription painkillers, with pharmacy likely to simply cease carrying the products.
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