cannabisnews.com: Another Prohibition, Another Failure 





Another Prohibition, Another Failure 
Posted by FoM on December 30, 2000 at 07:03:20 PT
By Governor Gary E. Johnson
Source: New York Times
While many Americans followed the coverage of President Clinton's symbolic gesture granting clemency to two federal drug offenders last week, an important development in national drug policy received less attention: Mr. Clinton became the first sitting president to question the impact of our nation's war on drugs.In a recent issue of Rolling Stone magazine, Mr. Clinton said he supported decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana and an end to the disparity in sentencing for offenses involving crack and powder cocaine. 
He also questioned the use of mandatory sentences for nonviolent drug offenders and called for serious reconsideration of the federal imprisonment policies that result in hundreds of thousands of nonviolent drug offenders winding up behind bars for years.I hope that governors, members of Congress and other elected officials will take note of Mr. Clinton's comments. Americans want policies that save lives, keep drugs out of the hands of children and humanely treat those suffering from drug addiction. The drug war accomplishes none of that. Too many Americans have lost faith in our approach to the war on drugs, as shown on Election Day when voters in five states approved various ballot initiatives that moderate harsh drug policies, including some measures that allow drug treatment instead of prison for nonviolent offenders or approve the medical use of marijuana when it is recommended by a doctor.As governor of New Mexico, I have called repeatedly for a serious reevaluation of our current drug strategies. I'm neither soft on crime nor pro-drugs in any sense. Yet when I ask whether our costly, protracted war on drugs has made the world safer for our children, I must answer no.The federal anti-drug budget in 1980 was roughly $1 billion. By 2000, that number had climbed to nearly $20 billion, with the states spending at least that much. Yet according to the federal government's own research, drugs are cheaper, purer and more readily available than ever before. As a nation we now have nearly half a million people behind bars on drug charges, more than the total prison population in all of Western Europe. And the burden of this explosion in incarceration falls disproportionately on black and Latino communities.When we consider the social and public health costs, the illogic of our distinction between legal and illegal drugs is staggering. Nearly 70 million Americans have smoked marijuana, which remains the third-most popular recreational drug in the country after tobacco and alcohol. Deaths attributable to marijuana are very rare. In fact, deaths from all illegal drugs combined, including cocaine and heroin, are fewer than 20,000 annually. By contrast, more than 450,000 Americans die each year from tobacco or alcohol use (not counting drunk-driving fatalities). Should we outlaw liquor and cigarettes? Ask anyone who remembers our nation's disastrous experiment with alcohol prohibition.Perhaps the most pernicious aspect of the drug war, in fact, is the crime and violence that drug prohibition generates. Without achieving anything like the goal of a drug-free America, our policies have empowered a lethal black market, complete with international armies of latter-day Al Capones. Their warfare against each other and against law enforcement will not be stopped until the public takes the regulation and control of their commodity away from them.In considering alternatives, we might look to Holland as a model. The Dutch, who decriminalized marijuana in 1976 and treat drug addiction medically rather than criminally, enjoy far lower rates of crime and drug use than we do.It is not outlandish to suggest that an alternative approach might lead to less drug-related harm, less imprisonment and less crime in America as well. Let me be very clear: We must never tolerate the violence resulting from the use of drugs. But neither should we, nor do we have to, tolerate the needless casualties of drug prohibition.Here in New Mexico, I am looking for new ways to deal with drug- related problems at the state level. We are working to redirect our resources into drug education programs; into harm reduction programs like needle exchange for injection drug users, which has been proven by numerous government studies to reduce the spread of diseases like AIDS and hepatitis without increasing drug use; and into treatment programs like methadone maintenance, the treatment proven most effective for heroin addiction.President Clinton's recent words on drug-policy reforms were a welcome first step. His comments should be the start of a new national debate, and not simply the last word of a departing administration.Gary E. Johnson, a Republican, is the governor of New Mexico. Source: New York Times (NY)Author: Gary JohnsonPublished: December 30, 2000Copyright: 2000 The New York Times CompanyAddress: 229 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036Fax: (212) 556-3622Contact: letters nytimes.comWebsite: http://www.nytimes.com/Forum: http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/Related Articles & Web Site:Governor Gary Johnson's Home Pagehttp://www.governor.state.nm.us/Johnson Agenda Up in Smoke? http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8118.shtmlClinton Should Commute Draconian Drug Sentenceshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8110.shtmlClinton: Pot Smoking Should Not Be Prison Offense http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7920.shtml
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Comment #8 posted by M.F.W. on March 07, 2001 at 14:34:41 PT:
clemency for pot smokers
i have the same question - for a convicted felon out on probation, smoking pot can result in more years served than some who commits manslaughter. is this right? is the governor considering pardons for felons whose only "crime" since serving time is to smoke a joint for relaxation, while working, raising a family and trying to become a good citizen???
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Comment #7 posted by dddd on January 01, 2001 at 11:49:14 PT
Two sides
 I've always thought Gary Johnson was right on,,but I gotta admit that there have been some valid questions raised here. Why not do something radical?He's a lame duck,and he could really make a name for himself if he cut a bunch of people loose before leaving office....???
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Comment #6 posted by cya on January 01, 2001 at 07:08:08 PT
gutsy and visionary 
Does the govenor have the power to pardon? Has Johnson granted clemency to any drug offenders? Has he sent a message to his cops to lay off? What has he done but run his mouth?I dont know the answers to these questions do you?Also:   Clinton Pardons  ------------------  Drug Offennders  2   Fat White Turkeys 8
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Comment #5 posted by Nate H. on December 31, 2000 at 09:59:46 PT
previous comment "Johnson hyprocrite"
Governor Gary Johnson took an extremely brave stance for his pro-legalization position. He was brutally attacked by the New Mexico legislature, his own administration and Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey who criticized him by name. He's the highest ranking American politican to come out against the War on Drugs so I don't quite understand why you're railing on him. As the head of the state of New Mexico, it is indeed Gov. Johnson's job to uphold the law. Which is why Gov. Johnson wants to change New Mexico's laws so drug users aren't tossed in the clink, as they currently are.I don't view the man as a hypocrite, but a very gutsy and visionary politician who should be applauded. Nate H. 
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Comment #4 posted by cya on December 31, 2000 at 06:33:31 PT
Hypocrite
Really? Johnson is a hypocrite, When asked if he would pardon the non-violent prisoners in his state he said NO he must uphold the LAW. Johnson put your money where your mouth is, you make me sick.
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Comment #3 posted by RAS JAMES RSIFWH on December 30, 2000 at 11:31:59 PT
RIVERA LIVE...DEC. 28, 2000
TH SURGEON GENERAL SAID ALCOHOL CAUSES MORE DAMAGE THAN ALL OTHER HARD DRUGS COMBINED. THE SURGEON GENERAL TRIED TO INCLUDE ALCOHOL IN THIS YEARS ANTI-DRUG MESSAGE TO YOUTH. GUESS WHO BLOCKED IT. THAT'S RIGHT...THE MAN WHO CARES SO MUCH ABOUT AMERICA'S YOUTH...NONE OTHER THAN Barry McCaffrey. THE DRUG CZAR FOUGHT TOOTH AND NAIL TO KEEP THE MESSAGE OFF THE AIRWAYS THAT ALCOHOL IS VERY DANGEROUS. ACCORDING TO "RIVERA LIVE", BINGE DRINKING ON CAMPUSES IS NOW AT EPEDEMIC PROPORTIONS CAUSING DEATH AND DISTRUCTION ON A LEVEL TO SHOCKING TO TRULY UNDERSTAND, AND YET BARRY KEEPS FIGHTING MARIJUANA WHICH IS CONSIDERED BY MANY MEDICAL EXPERTS TO BE THE SAFEST OF ALL THE DRUGS...YES MEDICALLY SAFER THAN A CUP OF COFFEE.WHY WOULD BARRY NOT WANT TO INCLUDE ALCOHOL IN HIS DRUG MESSAGES TO KIDS GIVEN HIS GREAT CONCERN FOR OUR YOUTH?
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Comment #2 posted by Robbie on December 30, 2000 at 10:48:26 PT
Gary Johnson
I have a lot of respect and admiration for Johnson. I appreciate what he's trying to do, and I hope he has continued success. But my estimation of the man was severely lessened by what he said in Playboy:JOHNSON: [...] They should understand that drugs change your consciousness so that from the time you smoke until the time you come off the drug, you are going to be less of a human being..."Less smart" or "less intelligent" or "less co-ordinated" would be one thing, but does he really believe that someone who's high is less than a human being? Sorry. Either he should choose his words more carefully, or he should be admonished for that statement.
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Comment #1 posted by Neutrino on December 30, 2000 at 09:01:36 PT
Governor Johnson
Excellent article and very well said. I sincerely wish that Governor Johnson would consider extending his political career. This country needs more like him.
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