They used to be the friendly neighborhood place where you went to get razor blades or Band-Aids, toiletries or the occasional prescription the doctor gave you. Today, as America’s population uses more prescription medications than at any other time in history, the face of America’s pharmacies is changing. And, in some sinister cases, the activity taking place inside these stores is far from legitimate.
You’ve probably noticed that your pharmacy now has a video surveillance system and maybe a uniformed guard, and the pharmacist may have to retrieve your order from a locked safe. At closing time, they might roll down a metal cage to cover the counter or let loose guard dogs to patrol inside the store. This isn’t your father’s pharmacy anymore, and the reason is a shame: Prescription drug abuse has now become an epidemic in America.
