Virtually every pharmacist understands the magnitude of the drug diversion problem in the U.S. We see glimpses of it almost every day.

For example, just last week I received a phone call from someone attempting to impersonate a doctor. He was trying to obtain a pint of codeine-containing cough medicine. He was a bad actor, and he should probably find out what caller ID is. Needless to say he didn't get his prescription.

But these sorts of events are rather bland and commonplace, unworthy of the news and unlikely to be of interest to anyone besides pharmacy personnel. Much more often what we hear about in the news are the more spectacular diversion attempts and successes.

In particular, what seems to be a nearly daily news event are the discoveries of drug diversion going inside the pharmacy on the one hand, and the equally disturbing number of burglaries and robberies by addicts and dealers on the other.

Take, for example, the news last week about a pharmacy employee at a CVS in Loves Park, Illinois. She allegedly had stolen hundreds of controlled substance pills to, sadly, fund a heroin addiction. Or take the recently convicted pharmacist in Cape Coral, Florida. Jorge Otano pleaded guilty to selling oxycodone and money laundering charges and is facing up to 35 years in a federal prison.

Then I read about an independent pharmacy owner in New Jersey, Peter Riccio, who was involved in an Internet drug operation. The scheme involved "patients" filling out an online questionnaire, which was then "evaluated" by a doctor. This doctor then faxed controlled-substance prescription orders to Riccio for filling and mailing. The acting New Jersey Attorney General, John Hoffman, commented that "this pharmacist chose to put profits ahead of public safety and professional integrity."

But then there are the robberies.

Washington, D.C., has been hit hard the past few weeks, with one online newspaper reporting three pharmacy robberies in close proximity being skillfully and forcefully targeted. WTOP reporter John Aaron said, "In surveillance video from the Jan. 17 robbery at Grubb's, three men can be seen bursting through the front door, one with a gun already drawn. He then jumps the counter with another man and holds a worker at gunpoint."

Guns drawn? Holdups? Sounds more like a scene from an old Western rather than a modern pharmacy. But that is what is going on today.

In Fayetteville, Arkansas, a pair of robbers entered Medicap pharmacy. One of the robbers entered the restroom, then, according to the report, "came out and struck the store owner in the head with a yellow crowbar and knocked him down."

Fortunately, the owner survived. In fact, while the robbers were leaving the store, he retrieved his gun and shot them both, leaving them with non-life-threatening wounds. The two escaped, but were later captured by police.

All of this is disturbing. Both diversion by pharmacists (and pharmacy employees) and robberies are going on way more frequently than many realize. And the answer to this problem isn't simple.

We have tried legal solutions like stricter penalties, imposed DEA thresholds and rescheduling of hydrocodone. We have numerous educational programs and treatment facilities. Nevertheless, the problem persists.

As pharmacists, we have a duty both to set an example of professionalism and provide helpful information to our community about medications, including abuse and addiction. When it comes to drug diversion, this is a tall order, and we all have a lot of work to do. Admitting and acknowledging the problem is a start.