MB Herald | Local tiendas offer prescription medicines

Posted on December 19, 2007 
Filed Under News

Myrtle Beach—Two Hispanic tiendas, small grocery stores, in Myrtle Beach offer everything from groceries to boots to videos, all with Spanish labels.
They also offer something else that has one local legislator’s blood “boiling.”
Drugs that are supposed to only be dispensed with a doctor’s prescription are being sold alongside non-prescription drugs. Both stores checked on Tuesday offered Terramycin, a doctor prescribed antibiotic, being sold under the Spanish name Terramicinia.
The tiendas are not certified pharmacies but usually “mom and pop” general store-type operations.
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control spokesman Thom Berry said jurisdiction of enforcing laws against the Hispanic stores selling prescription drugs is not well-defined. He said DHEC is looking to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency for guidelines.

DHEC is the state agency charged with registering pharmacies in the state.
“Right now, it’s up to the local law enforcement agencies to decide how to enforce selling these drugs without prescriptions,” Berry said.

He added that DHEC drug control agents are sworn law enforcement officers as well as registered pharmacists and are available to assist local law enforcement on the identification of drugs being sold.

Capt. David Knipes of the Myrtle Beach Police Department said he was not aware of this situation or any arrests or investigations in the matter.

Berry said the practice of selling prescription drugs at grocery stores is very common in Latin America and that he doesn’t feel the store owners are aware of the illegality of the sales.

DHEC thinks most of the prescription drugs are being shipped in with the other Spanish labeled products such as food and other items.

State Rep. Thad Viers said this situation is just one more example of how the state and country are setting up separate standards for legal residents and illegal immigrants.
“An ordinary citizen can’t just walk into a pharmacy and get these drugs without going to a doctor first,” Viers said. “But we’re letting these people break the law by selling prescription drugs right over the counter. I get furious just thinking about this. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”

Viers has introduced a series of bills for the upcoming session of the General Assembly to deal with illegal immigration situations in the state.

He also expressed concern about DHEC letting the practice occur.

“You let a developer dump some dirt in a river or waterway and DHEC is right there with fines,” Viers said. “But they’re letting people get by with selling illegal prescription drugs and they’re doing nothing about it.

“If DHEC needs a mandate on enforcing all the laws, they may get it.”

Mrytle Beach Herald
By Tom O’Dare
12/13/07