January 11, 2009
by Ahmad Safi
For the first time, health inspectors seized foreign-made prescription and over-the-counter drugs at local Latino grocery stores last year.
In a move considered increasingly more common in a diverse society, St. Joseph-Buchanan County Health Department inspectors found dozens of illegal medications, including antibiotics, steroid creams and some stronger-strength pain relievers.
The medications, mostly manufactured in Mexico, were being sold without a doctor’s prescription, officials said. The drugs are not approved for sale in the U.S., either because the Food and Drug Administration bans them or they lack a label printed in English.
But the owners of two Latino-owned grocery stores, whose medications were embargoed in October by local and state inspectors, said they were only providing what their customers want.
No criminal charges have been leveled in either seizure because health officials determined they were dealing with cultural “ignorance” rather than actual drug dealing.
La Palma Tienda Mexicana, a grocery store on King Hill Avenue, has been in business for two and a half years, but only last year began stocking medicines. Owner Gloria Sandoval said the medications offered a comfort factor to her immigrant Latino customers, who nostalgically bought the familiar drugs that many had been given when they were sick as children.
The medications were shipped to her from a California distributor who never told her they were illegal, she said.
“All the products come from Mexico,” Ms. Sandoval said. “I ask our supplier for it and they sell it. So I didn’t know.”
Lucy Timmarman, owner of Tienda La Estrella, also a grocery store on King Hill Avenue, said her store has been open for a year and half, but she only began stocking foreign medicines in spring 2008. She said the medicines came from a supplier in Atlanta, Ga.
“I buy everything from the supplier, so you just think it’s legal,” Ms. Timmarman said.
Since the drug seizures, inspectors have increased surprise inspections at Latino-owned grocery stores, even checking under counter areas. Ms. Sandoval said since the products left the shelves, she’s had customers ask her to sell medications on the sly, but she’s refused.
Even at Latino stores where no illegal medications have ever been found, inspectors have increased enforcement in search of unapproved drugs. Stores are allowed to keep certain nonprescription foreign medications on the shelves as long as they have labels printed in English.
At El Mexicano on Frederick Avenue, owner Christa Bautista-Cortez said inspectors have visited her at least six times since the seizures.
“I’ve sold medicines since I opened, and this is the first time in four years that I’ve been checked for medicine,” she said.
Heath inspector Kim Costen, who uncovered the situation at the two Latino stores during routine inspections in October, said the problem has pretty well taken care of itself.
“Both of them honestly did not know. It’s the cultural barrier, a lot of it,” Ms. Costen said. “Since then I’ve gone in a couple times to make sure they haven’t brought any more (medications), and they’ve been compliant.”
Source: The News-Press & St. Joe Now
by Ahmad Safi
For the first time, health inspectors seized foreign-made prescription and over-the-counter drugs at local Latino grocery stores last year.
In a move considered increasingly more common in a diverse society, St. Joseph-Buchanan County Health Department inspectors found dozens of illegal medications, including antibiotics, steroid creams and some stronger-strength pain relievers.
The medications, mostly manufactured in Mexico, were being sold without a doctor’s prescription, officials said. The drugs are not approved for sale in the U.S., either because the Food and Drug Administration bans them or they lack a label printed in English.
But the owners of two Latino-owned grocery stores, whose medications were embargoed in October by local and state inspectors, said they were only providing what their customers want.
No criminal charges have been leveled in either seizure because health officials determined they were dealing with cultural “ignorance” rather than actual drug dealing.
La Palma Tienda Mexicana, a grocery store on King Hill Avenue, has been in business for two and a half years, but only last year began stocking medicines. Owner Gloria Sandoval said the medications offered a comfort factor to her immigrant Latino customers, who nostalgically bought the familiar drugs that many had been given when they were sick as children.
The medications were shipped to her from a California distributor who never told her they were illegal, she said.
“All the products come from Mexico,” Ms. Sandoval said. “I ask our supplier for it and they sell it. So I didn’t know.”
Lucy Timmarman, owner of Tienda La Estrella, also a grocery store on King Hill Avenue, said her store has been open for a year and half, but she only began stocking foreign medicines in spring 2008. She said the medicines came from a supplier in Atlanta, Ga.
“I buy everything from the supplier, so you just think it’s legal,” Ms. Timmarman said.
Since the drug seizures, inspectors have increased surprise inspections at Latino-owned grocery stores, even checking under counter areas. Ms. Sandoval said since the products left the shelves, she’s had customers ask her to sell medications on the sly, but she’s refused.
Even at Latino stores where no illegal medications have ever been found, inspectors have increased enforcement in search of unapproved drugs. Stores are allowed to keep certain nonprescription foreign medications on the shelves as long as they have labels printed in English.
At El Mexicano on Frederick Avenue, owner Christa Bautista-Cortez said inspectors have visited her at least six times since the seizures.
“I’ve sold medicines since I opened, and this is the first time in four years that I’ve been checked for medicine,” she said.
Heath inspector Kim Costen, who uncovered the situation at the two Latino stores during routine inspections in October, said the problem has pretty well taken care of itself.
“Both of them honestly did not know. It’s the cultural barrier, a lot of it,” Ms. Costen said. “Since then I’ve gone in a couple times to make sure they haven’t brought any more (medications), and they’ve been compliant.”
Source: The News-Press & St. Joe Now
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