Lack of opioid prescriptions contributing to spike in Calgary pharmacy robberies: Expert

CALGARY -

The increasing trend of pharmacy thefts hasn’t let up during the COVID-19 pandemic and some substance use experts suggest drug users are running out of options.

Calgary police have reported 23 pharmacy robberies in the city since June as owners, employees, and customers have been the victim of a rash increase in violent attacks to obtain illicit drugs.

Rebecca Haines-Saah, an associate professor of community health at the University of Calgary noted that the pandemic has cut off some of the sources of ingredients for illegal drugs and is leading to dangerous new formulations on the streets.

“I would hesitate to call it positive, but it may be less dangerous if people are securing an opioid prescription pill. We’ve been arguing for a safe supply for users since the pandemic struck,” she said.

“The feds have rolled out really progressive legislation that would enable pharmacists and local addiction experts and prescribers to get people a supply, so that they could stay safe on prescribed opioids and not have to go to the illegal market during the pandemic.”

Haines-Saah added that the recent increase in pharmacy robberies speaks to the need to decriminalize illicit drugs, but also provide people who are really desperate with a safer supply of opioids.

According to Calgary police, some of the more popular illegal drugs on the street right now include Percocet along with the opioids Oxycodone and Cotridin.

Inspector Phil Hoetger said those drugs often have higher profit motivations, but added that his team is looking into a variety of narcotics and trying to determine where they are being illegally trafficked.

“Robberies are happening everywhere throughout the city, there’s no one definitive spot,” he said.

“We're basically putting everything we can at this, we've added a number of resources, a bunch of different investigative avenues because this needs to stop and we're going to do everything we can to make that happen.”

As a result, Calgary police are working with RCMP, Edmonton police and a number of other agencies across the province by sharing investigation information and coming up with best crime prevention and suppression strategies.

Police have also released several surveillance video images to the public in hopes of identifying suspects involved in pharmacy thefts this summer.

In the meantime, some prevention tips for pharmacy owners include maintaining a minimum supply of cash and drugs readily available, keeping a close eye on suspicious behaviour and making sure surveillance cameras are working at all times.

'I’M FEELING UNSAFE': PHARMACY OWNER

Junaid Alam experienced his worst nightmare just two weeks ago -- ironically on Friday the 13^th of August – when his pharmacy was robbed in broad daylight.

The owner of Medicare Plus Pharmacy on Pineridge was working alone around 11 a.m., when a man in a white shirt entered his business asking for a COVID-19 vaccine.

“I was asking him if he needed a first or second dose, but then he got me down on the ground asking where my narcotics were and where my cough syrup was located,” Alam said.

“Meanwhile, two other guys came in with a gun and a knife, they took me out to a room, put me down on the chair and pepper sprayed me. It was a horrible feeling.”

Alam called 911 and officers responded a short time later, but this isn’t the first time he’s experienced a robbery.

His same location was robbed back in March.

“I’m feeling unsafe, it’s not controlled here, so that’s why I was thinking it happened to me again. I’m so depressed.”

Alam has since mandated overlapping work shifts at his pharmacy so that none of his employees, including himself, should ever work alone.

His team has also added extra surveillance cameras and locked the front door, requiring all customers to ring a doorbell, identify themselves and remove their mask to show their full face before entering the store.

ALBERTA PHARMACISTS’ ASSOCIATION SPEAKS OUT 

In a statement to CTV News, the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association (APA) says the increase in robberies is taking a toll on its members.

“We are very concerned about the increase in pharmacy robberies, not only for our membership, but also their staff patients,” the statement read.

“As an association, we have been working closely with CPS, as well as EPS and RCMP. The policing agencies have been extremely helpful and instrumental to provide education, recommendations and assisting robbery awareness as well as with the implementation of prevention measures in pharmacies.

The APA adds that it provides professional psychological services to assist its members who have been victims of a crime.