Edmonton pharmacies alarmed over rise in prescription cough syrup thefts
Some local pharmacists are alarmed after at least six Edmonton pharmacies have been robbed of certain cough medications in the last two weeks.
Edmonton police say in every instance the target medications were Percocet, codeine, and cotridin – all also known as cough syrup.
CTV News Edmonton spoke with two of the pharmacies that were hit. Both declined interviews for fear of being robbed again.
Shamas Arshad recounted how he was working alone one evening in his south Edmonton pharmacy when three people barged in, one with a knife.
“One of the big guys, he grabbed me by the front of the neck and he asked me, ‘the Percocet, the cotridin, and the codeine,’” Arshad said.
Everything they wanted was in the pharmacy’s safe, he added. During the incident, Arshad said he was punched in the left ear and his hands were tied.
He recalled how one of the robbers who was holding the knife threatened him.
“He said, ‘We will slash your throat if you make a noise,’” Arshad added.
The thieves grabbed the narcotics and left. While Arshad was okay physically, he was forever scarred emotionally.
“It was quite traumatizing,” Arshad said, as he paused. “I can still feel those things.”
While Edmonton police declined to comment about why thieves are increasingly going after cough medication, some pharmacists who spoke with CTV News said they believe it could be connected to the ongoing opioid crisis.
- 'Drugs are killing our young people': South Sudanese community mourning opioid-related deaths
- Urgent need in Alberta to address potent drug supply, overdose crisis: health experts
- 'Keeping these people alive': A volunteer team works to reverse overdoses in Edmonton
- 'The need is still out there': Alberta Avenue responds to opioid crisis
Another theory pharmacists shared is that robbers are going after cotridin, or prescription cough syrup, because it is difficult to obtain.
Since July 1, 2020, to receive oral liquids containing codeine from a pharmacy, a triplicate prescription is needed. Those types of prescriptions are almost impossible to forge, pharmacists say.
Local pharmacists said they would see hundreds of prescriptions for cotridin. Since the change took effect last year, they’ve barely seen any.
“When we get a prescription for it, we make sure it’s the right prescription, it’s legitimate,” said Mohamed Elfishawi from Terwillegar Pharmacy. “Then we order it the next day.”
The Alberta Pharmacy Association says it is aware of “the increase in robberies” and is working with the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) on implementing prevention measures.
EPS encourages pharmacies to implement security measures like panic alarms, raised counters, and surveillance cameras.
Shamas, who was robbed back in February, says the cameras were not working. He’s convinced extra security and societal supports for those using the stolen cough syrups are the answers.
“Every problem has a solution,” he Shamas said. “It’s not like anyone’s fault, but it’s a whole society that should contribute.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
It's 30 years since apartheid ended. South Africa's celebrations are set against growing discontent
South Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of its democracy with a ceremony in the capital Saturday that included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the nation's multicolored flag.