Canadian Pharmacies Experiencing High Number of Pharmaceutical Thefts

A retailer that operates a chain of Canadian pharmacies is working to change its procedure to prevent theft of pharmaceuticals.

An average of 30 Canadian pharmacies in Saskatchewan are broken into each year for the purpose of stealing OxyContin, a pain killer, according to the CBC. The drug has become popular among both abusers and traffickers.

To combat this issue, Safeway, which runs a number of Canadian pharmacies, has introduced a 24 hour waiting period for those who have a prescription for OxyContin and has announced plans to keep less of the pain medication in the store.

"If the product is not on site then it makes it a disincentive for someone to come in and think they'll be able to rob it from us," spokesman John Graham told the news source.

OxyContin is often stolen because its morphine-like effects are popular with drug addicts and selling the pill can be very lucrative.

"It's one of those drugs where once you start, it's hard to stop," Sergeant Dean Hoover of Saskatoon's drug squad said. "If you can sell a pill for $10 or $20, it's pretty good profit if you steal them by the hundreds.”