Pharmacy worker who stole cocaine suspended for 18 months

A shelf of drugs at a pharmacy is seen in Quebec City, Thursday, March 8, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

An Edmonton pharmacy technician has been suspended for stealing cocaine from his workplace four times for personal use.

The technician worked at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

According to the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP), he manipulated inventory records to hide his theft, known in the medical industry as diversion.

"Such conduct is a marked departure from the expectations of regulated members of the College," the ACP said in a news release Thursday. "It is a very serious matter and warrants a serious sanction. The seriousness of the matter is increased by the fact that [he] continued to provide professional services in close proximity to the timing of his misuse of the controlled substance, thereby putting members of the public at risk of harm."

The tribunal that ordered the technician's suspension noted he had not been accused of causing any patients harm, his record was otherwise clean, and he only stole four times for personal use.

During his 18-month suspension, which began Oct. 18, he is also not allowed to apply for a practice permit.

Before he can be reinstated, a physician must vouch he is fit to return to practice. Any practice permit that is issued to him will be subject to a number of conditions, such as mandatory supervision.

He is also prohibited from being a pharmacy owner or proprietor for five years after reinstatement and must cover half of the ACP's investigation costs, up to $10,000.

The ACP says his employment at the Royal Alexandra Hospital pharmacy ended before its investigation began and he has not practiced since then.

Cocaine has a few medical uses, including as a local anaesthetic or blood vessel-narrowing agent.