>Sender: >To: >X-Original-Message-ID: <157301bf3857$cbaa5070$9acf69cf@pacbell.net> >From: "Peter McWilliams" >Subject: Fw: [] Gov. Gary Johnson Urges Others To Take Up The Cause >Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 13:47:11 -0800 >X-Mozilla-Status: 8001 >X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Peter Webster >To: >Sent: Thursday, November 25, 1999 2:56 PM >Subject: [] Gov. Gary Johnson Urges Others To Take Up The Cause > > > > Pubdate: Mon, 22 Nov 1999 > > Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM) > > Copyright: 1999 Albuquerque Journal > > Contact: opinion@abqjournal.com > > Address: P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, N.M. 87103 > > Website: http://www.abqjournal.com/ > > Author: Loie Fecteau, Journal Capitol Bureau > > Link: Shortcut for articles about the Gov.: > > http://www.mapinc.org/johnson.htm > > > > GOV: CITIZENS SHOULD CALL LEGISLATORS > > > > Gov. Gary Johnson may have agreed to temper his push to legalize drugs at > > least through the upcoming legislative session, but on Sunday he urged > > others to take up the cause. > > > > At a drug forum at the University of New Mexico School of Law in > > Albuquerque, Johnson told an enthusiastic crowd of about 200 people to call > > their legislators and tell them the drug issue is important. "Tell your > > legislator that you do believe that the discussion is worthwhile and, if > > you believe it, that there are valid points raised to legalization being a > > valid alternative," said Johnson, who contends the war on drugs has been a > > miserable failure. > > > > "I do know that legislators, when they get three or four phone calls on any > > given issue, 'The phone is ringing off the wall, and everybody is for X,' > > '' Johnson said. "So if you can call your legislator, if you can manage 15 > > phone calls to your legislator, the house is coming down." > > > > On Friday, at the urging of fellow Republicans, Johnson agreed to tone down > > his crusade to legalize drugs at least through the upcoming 30-day > > legislative session, which begins Jan. 18. The governor said, however, he > > would honor commitments he had already made to debate the issue, including > > Sunday's event. > > > > Republicans, like Senate Minority Leader L. Skip Vernon, R-Albuquerque, had > > complained that Johnson's focus on drugs was distracting from other issues, > > such as cutting taxes and education reform. > > > > "I don't want drugs, drug debate, drug discussion to overshadow the > > upcoming legislative session," Johnson said in an interview Sunday. "I do > > agree with Skip (Vernon) that we need to focus on the legislative session." > > > > However, Johnson said he may propose legislation in the upcoming session > > that would allow methadone users to get their fixes from pharmacies instead > > of having to go to a clinic. > > > > "I'm seeing if I can propose a bill or maybe we do it through regulation," > > Johnson said. > > > > Johnson said he was disappointed that U.S. Attorney John Kelly, who opposes > > drug legalization, did not take part in Sunday's drug forum as originally > > scheduled. UNM law professor Rob Schwartz, who moderated the forum, said > > Kelly "just couldn't make it." Kelly could not be reached for comment Sunday. > > > > Kelly's absence meant the panel was rather one-sided with only Albuquerque > > psychologist Mary Loescher speaking against legalizing drugs. The other > > panelists were state Health Secretary Alex Valdez and public health > > advocate Carol Miller of Ojo Sarco. > > > > Miller, who ran for Congress last year as a Green Party candidate in New > > Mexico's 3rd District, praised Johnson for being so outspoken on the drug > > issue. > > > > "He had the audacity to come out publicly in support of something without > > doing 10 polls first," Miller said. "He's doing something he believes in, > > and I think that's incredible." > > > > Miller said she believes a holistic approach is needed to deal with drug > > abuse. She said most people with serious drug or alcohol addictions also > > have some kind of mental health problem. > > > > "The money that we spend on this hopeless, sad war on the poor could go for > > education. It could go for universal health care," Miller said. > > > > Loescher said she disagrees with Johnson that legalizing drugs would lead > > to a reduction in drug use. Johnson contends drug use would be reduced if > > drugs were legalized because they would be strictly regulated and > > controlled by the government. > > > > "Government control (of drugs) does not reduce crime," Loescher said. > > "Government-controlled doses assists people in keeping their addictions. > > ... A drug addict is more likely to act impulsively and violently, and it > > does not matter where he got his drugs." > > > > Loescher noted that countries like Great Britain and Holland, which have > > legalized certain drugs, have much more homogeneous cultures than the > > United States or New Mexico. > > > > "To assume the same programs will work in New Mexico is very naive to say > > the least," she said. > > > > However, Loescher agreed with Johnson and the other panelists that more > > drug-treatment programs are needed. > > > > "In our state, we are sadly short of treatment facilities," Loescher said. > > > > Valdez said he agrees with Johnson that the war on drugs has failed and > > that money spent on enforcement should be redirected to drug treatment and > > education programs. > > > > "When we look at our rates of addiction, when we look at the rates of use, > > we know our 'Just Say No,' has been a failure," Valdez said. > > __________________________________________________________________________ > > Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in > > receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. > > --- > > MAP posted-by: Richard Lake > > > > > > >================================================================ > >This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . >To unsubscribe, E-mail to: