A pharmacist in North Carolina was arrested on drug charges and subsequently surrendered his license. This individual had been in the business for more 40 years. It is alleged that he sold fentanyl and 30 oxycodone pills to an undercover informant back in April.

The pharmacist surrendered his license on May 28. With the surrender of his license it appears that a Charlotte pharmacy will also be forced to close at some point in the near future. The pharmacist was freed on $10,000 bond.

In a drug trafficking case the intent to sell must be demonstrated. While the state and federal penalties for a conviction for such a charge are extremely severe, the consequences of either an arrest or conviction can also be devastating. Though arrests and convictions are two different things, the media does not always distinguish between the two. An arrest comes about when there is suspicion of wrongdoing. However, a conviction is only supposed to result when proof is presented in court showing the individual is guilty of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt.

Still, even an arrest for such an individual could be devastating because it brings a cloud of suspicion on the manner in which he does business. “Pharmacists obviously have a duty to comply with all laws and regulations governing the dispensing of prescription drugs to patients,” stated the executive director for the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy. Though this is undoubtedly correct, we cannot afford to assume that the individual is guilty based upon an arrest taking place.