DRUGGISTS' CHOICE DISGRACEFUL

The failure of the city's pharmacies to show up to a City Council
meeting - with only one calling to say it couldn't make it - is a
disgrace. It is a lack of respect for the governing council of the
city and shows a willful disregard for the community.

Councilors requested representatives from all the pharmacies in the
city in hopes of bringing them into the discussion about OxyContin
abuse that the city is fighting through its exemplary Drug Task Force.
By not being part of the discussion means the pharmacies, save for the
one that responded, don't have Malden in its best interest.

Any business, whether it's a chain or mom-and-pop, is part of this
community, and as a part of the community, the businesses should at
least respond to a request by the City Council to come to a meeting.

What's more, OxyContin abuse is a grave problem that the pharmacies
can help with and they aren't even willing to discuss it publicly.
Furthermore, the pharmacies have been held harmless in the latest drug
plague, even evoking public sympathy when a drug-crazed bandit robs
the store of its supply of the opiate.

Perhaps, though, the pharmacies should be held accountable. The city
holds convenience stores accountable for selling cigarettes to minors,
and alcohol-serving businesses are held accountable for the people
they serve. Why aren't pharmacies held accountable for dispensing
medication properly?

Malden, through its Board of Health and City Council, could enact an
ordinance that would govern the dispensing of medication that is more
stringent than what the state or federal government dictates. Perhaps
the city should consider an ordinance that any pharmacy found to
dispense OxyContin to someone who overdoses or dies, or someone who is
distributing the opiate, should be fined in the thousands of dollars.

We bet the pharmacies would be storming the City Council chambers if
such an ordinance were proposed. Funny how that works.