IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, DRUGSTORE IS VIRTUAL FORTRESS

Prescription Painkiller Abuse Leads To Desperate

PIKEVILLE - Carrie Cinnamond realized just how much times have changed when
she had a steel vault hauled into her pharmacy in Eastern Kentucky.

Two break-ins in two weeks by burglars in search of painkillers forced her
to adopt many of the same security measures that are used at the bank down
the street.

Ever since prescription painkillers such as OxyContin became the drugs of
choice in Appalachia, the days of small-town pharmacists dispensing
medicines from behind a mere counter have become a quaint memory.

Now, many pharmacies have turned into virtual fortresses. The most
sought-after drugs are stored in vaults. And pharmacists, some of whom
carry weapons, often work behind safety glass. Surveillance cameras and
alarm systems monitor every nook and cranny.

Pharmaceutical companies have also adopted practices from the banking
industry, delivering prescription pills in armored trucks protected by
armed guards and tracked by satellites on carefully chosen routes.

"We feel very strongly that we have a commitment to protect the public and
to make sure these drugs are available for people who need them," said
Aaron Graham, vice president of corporate security at Purdue Pharma, the
Connecticut-based manufacturer of OxyContin.

"You do that by making sure they're not stolen or diverted," Graham said.
"Armored vehicles are just one part of the protocol. We use space-age
technology involving global positioning to make sure we know where our
product is all the time."

For Cinnamond, the popularity of OxyContin was the driving force behind her
vigilance. Burglars broke into her pharmacy twice in 2001, and tried
unsuccessfully a third time after she upgraded security.

Police recommended that she put bars on the windows. Cinnamond said she
opted for less-noticeable tactics that have proven effective.

Graham, a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent whose Purdue
Pharma team advises pharmacies on security, said most drug stores have
taken measures to protect against thefts.

"Certainly, there are still some soft targets out there," he said "But the
prudent pharmacist knows he's got an expensive, valuable commodity that
needs to be protected."

Dan Smoot, chief detective for the Eastern Kentucky anti-drug task force
Operation UNITE, said prescription drugs remain the top problem for police
agencies in the mountains. Smoot led the largest drug raid in Kentucky
history two months ago, arresting more than 200 people on charges of buying
or selling prescription drugs on the black market.

Smoot said the roundup was aimed primarily at people dealing in OxyContin,
a narcotic that can provide 12 hours of relief for cancer patients and
others suffering from severe pain if swallowed whole. However, the tablet
can produce a quick and potentially lethal high if it is chewed, snorted or
injected. It has been linked to more than 100 deaths and bears the
government's strongest warning label.

Graham said Purdue Pharma has taken steps to stop abuse of the drug. Since
last year, the company has given $1.5 million in grants to police
departments to combat abuse of the drug. More than $680,000 of those grants
have gone to police agencies in Kentucky, which has been among the hardest
hit with prescription drug abuse.

Meanwhile, Graham said Purdue Pharma, like other pharmaceutical
manufacturers, maintains strict security to prevent heists of drug
shipments. He said armored trucks are routinely used to discourage would-be
hijackers. Security around those trucks is tight, he said.

In Pikeville, thieves were able to steal a shipment of narcotics from a
storage facility in April. A wholesaler had unloaded the drugs from an
armored truck and stored them temporarily until they could be distributed
to pharmacies in Eastern Kentucky. Smoot said that is the only such heist
he's aware of in the region. It was unusual, he said, because pharmacies
are normally the target, which is why some in Eastern Kentucky have
resorted to putting bars over windows.

Others, such as Jackson pharmacist Everett Dunaway, have started carrying
weapons.

It came in handy when a man walked into the Family Pharmacy with a shotgun
beneath a long coat and demanded drugs. When Dunaway pulled his own gun,
the would-be robber fled.

"It's at times a dangerous profession," Dunaway said. "Anything to do with
drugs can be dangerous. You have to take precautions."