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  Johnson's Drug-Reform Glass Half Full, Half Empty
Posted by FoM on February 18, 2002 at 17:08:55 PT
By The Associated Press  
Source: Santa Fe New Mexican  

justice Gov. Gary Johnson has had a controversial and politically polarizing dream for the past couple of years. The Republican, a nationally known critic of the war on drugs, has dreamed of reforming New Mexico's drug laws.

Johnson, in his last year as governor, saw part of his drug policy wish list fade away and another part realized as the 2002 legislative session came to a close last week. ``We got half of what we were after,'' he said during a news conference following the session.

``Although some didn't pass, some did and overall, that was one of the bright spots, I thought.''

In the closing moments of the session, the Legislature passed part of the governor's six-bill reform package, including a measure aimed at preventing abuses of the state's forfeiture law and one that would give judges more discretion in sentencing some nonviolent habitual offenders.

The Legislature, however, shot down for the second year the governor's more controversial proposals - legalizing the medical use of marijuana, decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana, and treatment instead of prison time for nonviolent first- and second-time drug offenders.

Those measures have been at the top of the governor's list for the past two years, and the Legislature hasn't missed an opportunity to snub them.

House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Santa Fe, said lawmakers attempted to compromise this year on other issues but drew the line at drug legislation.

``We were not willing to do that,'' he said.

For Johnson, the medical marijuana bill appeared to have a chance. It would have made it legal for critically ill patients to smoke pot to relieve their symptoms. The Senate voted down an attempt to rescue the bill from committee.

``I thought that anyone in pain, anyone suffering from cancer, if they found relief from smoking marijuana, I really thought that as a legislator, how could you not vote yes for that?'' the governor asked.

How could lawmakers not vote yes?

The answers range from poor tactics on the part of the governor to ideological differences too great to reach a compromise to just plain politics.

Supporters say the governor makes a point - that current drug policies infringe on individual liberties, clog up the criminal justice system with nonviolent drug offenders and focus on prison time rather than treatment.

Critics contend easing New Mexico's drug policies could create a haven for drug users and an increase in crime.

For some lawmakers, that's too much to swallow.

``I truly believe that had these bills passed, our state would have been ruined,'' said Sen. Ramsay Gorham, R-Albuquerque. ``Our families would have started decaying. The children would not have had good role models.''

Gorham said she has seen no concrete evidence drug policy changes would cut down on illegal drug use or help control prison costs.

``We looked carefully at what each bill would have done legally,'' she said. ``Our goal was turn over every stone.''

Another obstacle was the crush of legislation relating to budget and tax issues lawmakers had to address during the 30-day session.

``The governor never gave the drug reform agenda a chance,'' said Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque. ``He allowed so many bills to be considered. Anybody who opposed his bills could use them as a screen to slow the process down.''

McSorley also pointed out Johnson did not make drug policy an issue during his last gubernatorial campaign. He brought it up only after his re-election.

``If he really believed in the issue he should have allowed the electorate four years ago to discuss the issue. He kept it out of public debate and expected lawmakers to work with him,'' McSorley said. ``These are huge issues that need cultivation at the grass roots level.''

One of the most obvious obstacles for Johnson has been politics.

Darren White, who served as the secretary of the Department of Public Safety under Johnson, pointed to the constant head-butting between the Republican governor and the Democrat-controlled Legislature over everything from drugs to the state budget.

``When you have two sides as polarized as much as they have been, I don't think it's any surprise,'' said White, who parted ways with Johnson when he began pushing the decriminalization of marijuana.

The anti-Johnson factor also was apparent to former Gov. Toney Anaya, who has worked with the New York-based Lindesmith Center on drug law changes in New Mexico.

If Johnson had another chance at making his dream come true, Anaya said he would offer some different advice.

``I'd tell him to tell legislators that he's out of the drug policy business. That way, I think, he would have a better chance of getting some bills through,'' Anaya said.

Despite the heated discussions and moving testimony that has surrounded the drug policy debate in New Mexico, not many people can argue that no good has come from Johnson putting the issue on the table.

``No one can argue that drug policy doesn't need to be debated,'' said White, executive director of the anti-drug group Protect New Mexico. ``It is a problem that wreaks havoc and destruction on our communities.''

Education has been one of the unintended consequences of the drug debate, Anaya said.

``I see these past few years as the education of Gary Johnson. The governor became involved in the debate beyond just thinking about the conceptual part of it,'' Anaya said. ``He was forced to begin looking at the nuts and bolts of the issue.''

The nuts and bolts, Anaya said, helped everyone involved in the debate realize that winning the war on drugs is bigger than legalizing drugs. More attention has been focused on treatment programs, sentencing options and prison population, he said.

``In respect to Governor Johnson, if he hadn't brought up this issue, it wouldn't have been discussed the way it has been,'' Anaya said.

On the Net:

Legislature: http://legis.state.nm.us

Gov. Gary Johnson: http://www.governor.state.nm.us

The New Mexico Drug Policy Project: http://www.improvenewmexico.org

Source: Santa Fe New Mexican (NM)
Published: February 18, 2002
Copyright: 2002 The Santa Fe New Mexican
Contact: letters@sfnewmexican.com
Website: http://www.sfnewmexican.com/

Related Articles:

State's Reforms Fall Short, Anti-Drug Group Says
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11977.shtml

Medicinal Marijuana Bill Dies in Committee
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11966.shtml

Medical Marijuana Dies in Senate Panel
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11965.shtml


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Comment #4 posted by MikeEEEEE on February 18, 2002 at 21:02:12 PT
Gary Johnson for President
There's no doubt that Johnson is a great guy. Gaining freedom is like chipping away at a rock until it breaks. Right now the rock has cracks, wait and see, and keep chipping away at it. Maybe we'll hear the loud sound of an earthquake when these guys lose the war they could never win.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #3 posted by Harvey Pendrake on February 18, 2002 at 20:53:23 PT
Gov. Johnson
I'm really going to miss Gov. Johnson when his term is up, even though I'm not from New Mexico.

I've seen him on numerous occasions and he never fails to impress. I actually respect the guy. It's unfortunate that his own party has trashed him on drug law reform. It's also unfortunate that the democratic party, which I used to be a member of, cannot find their spine and make drug law reform an issue.

Gary Johnson is probably fed up with politics, but I'd love to see him run for a national office. Senator Johnson. President Johnson? Ahhh -- it'll never happen. He financed his own campaign for governor. But the big offices require big, big money, and the corporations are never going to finance a candidate that says marijuana should be legal.

I can dream, though.

Godspeed, Governor Johnson.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #2 posted by Nuevo Mexican on February 18, 2002 at 20:06:06 PT
Big Biz'niz!
Education has been one of the unintended consequences of the drug debate, Anaya said. Obviously education is a bad thing in Anayas' eyes!

``I see these past few years as the education of Gary Johnson. The governor became involved in the debate beyond just thinking about the conceptual part of it,'' Anaya said. ``He was forced to begin looking at the nuts and bolts of the issue.'' Like how much money the booming private prison industry would lose!

The nuts and bolts, Anaya said, helped everyone involved in the debate realize that winning the war on drugs is bigger than legalizing drugs. More attention has been focused on treatment programs, sentencing options and prison population, he said. Keyword: money making schemes to benefit at the expense of someone else's suffering, a new and booming industry!

Acholol use in New Mexico is incredibly widespread. Only two years ago did the drive thru liquor stores get closed after fierce opposition by the liquor lobby.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #1 posted by goneposthole on February 18, 2002 at 18:19:11 PT
Ramsay Gorham
Demagogue: A leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power.

Definition obtained from Meriam-Websters online dictionary.

>Critics contend easing New Mexico's drug policies could create a haven for drug use and an increase in crime.

For some lawmakers, that's too much to swallow.

"I truly believe that had these bills been passed, our state would have been ruined," said Sen. Ramsay Gorham, R-Albuquerque. "Our families would have started decaying. The children would not have good role models."<

If this comment is not irresponsible, then I would begin to confiscate all alcoholic beverages inside the borders of New Mexico. You know what? I know for a fact that an alcoholic is not a good role model. If alcohol hasn't ruined New Mexico by now, what makes her think that drugs will?

The words spoken by Ramsay Gorham were demagoguery, a very fine example at that.

It makes more sense to talk to a rock.



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