The Rhodesia Herald, 14 January 1971
ADDICTS are believed responsible for stealing large amounts of habit-forming drugs from four Salisbury pharmacies in the past month.
They have stolen 33 400 tablets and capsules, including the “purple heart” variety, together worth about $1 670.
A Salisbury pharmacist said he believed addicts and drug “pushers” were mainly responsible for the recent rash of drug thefts.
Police yesterday appealed to members of the public to locate some of the drugs, which are all of the amphetamine type.
Four pharmaceutical premises broken into in the past month included two in Central Salisbury, one Avondale and one in Braeside, police said.
One of the pharmacies broken into was Braeside Pharmacy, where between 600 and 800 tablets and capsules valued at about $70 and two watches were taken.
The owner of the business, Mr. A. Michalowsky, said he thought addicts or pushers had taken the drugs, probably for their own use.
A Central Salisbury pharmacist said the drugs were habit forming.
“They give you a lift and make you feel on top of the world,” he said.
But once dependent it is hard to do without them.
He said doctors prescribe the drugs for various reasons, including losing weight. They reduce appetite



