STATEWIDE–Indiana is one of the states with the highest rates of robberies in pharmacies. Democrat State Representative Justin Moed says he’s proposing legislation to help protect pharmacy employees.
“If this body doesn’t have the courage to help ensure that our communities are safe from opioids, we should at least make sure that the employees inside these pharmacies are able to protect themselves,” Moed said.
The proposed bill would prohibit pharmacy workers from being fired or disciplined for lawfully defending themselves against physical harm during a robbery.
“These drugs end up in neighborhoods and communities around the pharmacy and continue to be a part of the pervasive problem of opioid addiction in our community,” Moed said.
It passed the House and is now being considered by the state Senate. The Senator says criminals are taking advantage of pharmacy policies and stealing opioids because they know employees will likely not fight back.
“Many companies here have policies in which they tell their employees that if you defend yourself when you’re being robbed, then you’ll be fired. This has happened,” Moed said.
In December 2018, an employee at a CVS store in Greenfield named Zacharia Phillips was fired for stopping a thief from stealing drugs. Phillips said CVS told him he violated their policy.
Moed also proposed a bill requiring pharmacies to store opioids in time-released safes, but that bill was defeated.
(Photo: Saul Loed/Getty Images)
