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Politics & Government

Mangano Joins Schumer in Approach to Protect Local Drug Stores

The plan hopes to decrease the amount of pharmacy robberies and prescription drug abuse.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano was whisked away from announcing the reduced price community pass for Disney On Ice yesterday to join United States Sen. Charles Schumer in an approach to protect local drug stores from growing pharmacy theft.

According to a recent press release, due to the increased addiction of prescription pain killers like Oxycotin, Sen. Schumer’s plan requires the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to issue guidelines and best practices to help local pharmacies establish better security measures for the protection of prescription narcotics and to act as a deterrent to would-be-robbers.

Additionally, Sen. Schumer’s proposal also calls for increasing the maximum sentence for pharmacy robberies and related crimes to 20 years, per offence.

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“The statistics are startling, 75 Nassau residents died in 2010 as a result of prescription Opiates,” Mangano said in the press release. “That’s an average of more than one a week…Nationally and here on Long Island, prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic.”

Mangano sent letters to all local pharmacies containing safety and security tips and a listing of treatment resource centers for drug addicts seeking recovery.

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“Working together with all levels of government, not just law enforcement, but treatment and prevention as well, we can and will make a difference,” Mangano said. 

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