Ohio to license pharmacy technicians, limit painkillers

COLUMBUS (AP) — Thousands of pharmacy technicians would be licensed by the state for the first time as part of efforts to fight Ohio’s addictions epidemic, under budget proposals announced today by Gov. John Kasich.

Pharmacy technicians were responsible for a third of about 140 pharmacy drug thefts over the past three years, said Steven Schierholt, the Ohio Pharmacy Board’s executive director. Ohio is one of only eight states that doesn’t license the technicians, he said.

The state estimates about 42,000 pharmacy technicians currently work in Ohio and are subject only to employer background checks.

“With the current system, if a pharmacy technician engages in theft from a pharmacy, and if an employer chooses to fire them or allow them to resign, nothing keeps them from going down the street and getting another job,” Schierholt said.

Kasich, a Republican running for president, announced several proposals today to address Ohio’s addictions epidemic as record numbers of people continue to die from painkiller and heroin overdoses. The proposals are part of a mid-session budget review process.