# The things people have done to acquire drugs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-things-people-have-done-to-acquire-drugs/814354>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 17, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-things-people-have-done-to-acquire-drugs/814354 "2018-05-17T16:10:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-things-people-have-done-to-acquire-drugs/814354/21 "2018-05-18T13:57:54Z")

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My son stole meds from the nursing home where he worked. He says it was just sample packs, but I would not be at all surprised to learn that he also took drugs intended for patients. He told my daughter about other awful things he did, but has never told me. And I don’t want to know. ☹

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-things-people-have-done-to-acquire-drugs/814354/22 "2018-05-18T23:11:01Z")

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> [@guizot](#):
>
> Yes, it used to be easier, but of course, it depends on the state. Today, all but seven states have licensing requirements for pharm techs, and I assume all include the background check, as does CA. My point was just that it surprised me that addicts were thinking so far in advance. Usually they want what they want NOW–instant gratification is the essence of addiction.

They have to register with the state, which is not the same as certification; whether they have to do that varies from employer to employer.

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-things-people-have-done-to-acquire-drugs/814354/23 "2018-05-18T23:14:14Z")

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> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> My son stole meds from the nursing home where he worked. He says it was just sample packs, but I would not be at all surprised to learn that he also took drugs intended for patients. He told my daughter about other awful things he did, but has never told me. And I don’t want to know. ☹

:eek: Theft from nursing home patients, period, is a huge problem. I have an acquaintance who is in an assisted living facility, and when she was in her old home posted on Facebook that some of her things were missing. Most of her fellow residents certainly weren’t able to defend themselves in this manner.

I’ve heard plenty of stories about nurses who, after changing a patient’s fentanyl patch, sucked the remaining gel out of the patch with a syringe before destroying it. One was arrested in my area a while back when she accidentally (maybe) left one out, and another nurse found the patch with a hole in it and knew what was going on.

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