Shoppers Drug Mart at Park Place Mall, June 6, 2022. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Alberta pharmacies to have time-delayed safes for narcotics

Jun 7, 2022 | 11:17 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Community pharmacies across the province are taking steps to ensure that narcotics and other high-risk drugs are kept safe.

The Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP) has updated the Standards for the Operation of Licensed Pharmacies to mandate the use of time-delayed safes.

The ACP will require community pharmacies, meaning those that are not located in hospitals or other healthcare facilities, to have a minimum five-minute delay to open the safes.

Pharmacies across Alberta have been equipped with signage at all external entrances and at the pharmacy counter to ensure that everyone is aware of the use of time-delayed safes.

ACP President Peter Macek believes that the delay should help to deter would-be robbers from trying to steal narcotics.

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat and area: Dec. 13-15

6h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

Dec 12, 2024

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

Dec 12, 2024

“These incidents can be terrifying for pharmacy team members and the public, many of whom suffer physical and emotional trauma during an armed robbery,” says Macek. “In many instances, a significant amount of violence has been used by the perpetrators, and pharmacy team members have reported being bound, threatened with weapons, and physically assaulted.”

Macek adds, “We’re hopeful that the requirement of using time-delayed safes, combined with other security efforts, will help prevent robberies and make pharmacies and our communities safer.”

ACP is strongly recommending that pharmacies take additional steps such as installing video surveillance systems and alarms, as well as limiting the amount of narcotics and other high-risk drugs that are kept in stock.

Between September 2020 and August 2021, there were 89 pharmacy robberies in Calgary and 49 in Edmonton.

Lethbridge Police responded to one pharmacy robbery in 2021.

Calgary Police Service Acting Sgt. Anthony Thompson says pharmacy robberies have become increasingly common across the province.

“It is our hope that by partnering with the Alberta College of Pharmacy, Edmonton Police Service, and the RCMP to support the implementing of timed-delayed safes along with other crime prevention strategies, pharmacies across the province will see a dramatic decline in robberies, and help ensure the safety of citizens,” says Thompson.

Pharmacies will have until July 1, 2022, to install time-delayed safes in their Alberta locations under the new mandate.