NM Governor Johnson Ready To Back Talk With Action PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE DrugSense FOCUS Alert #194, Jan 07 2001 New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson took an important step toward bringing reason to drug policy when he started criticizing the drug war. Now, he says he is going to move beyond rhetoric by attempting to work with the state legislature to propose drug law reform. Naturally, traditional drug war supporters are expressing dismay over the challenge to absolute drug prohibition without even waiting to see the nature of the reform. But some media in the state seem to be swayed by Johnson's ideas. As a good editorial from the Albuquerque Journal this week noted, "What is needed next is for the Legislature to objectively consider the drug-related bills Johnson has promised to present, including a bill to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana." Please write a letter to the Albuquerque Journal and other newspapers that have covered the story to show that people around the world support Johnson's brave stand. WRITE A LETTER TODAY It's not what others do it's what YOU do PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID (Letter, Phone, fax etc.) Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent letter list () if you are subscribed, or by E-mailing a copy directly to Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is the only way we have of gauging our impact and effectiveness. CONTACT INFO: Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM) Contact: EXTRA CREDIT: These newspapers have also covered the latest developments in the Gary Johnson story. Please also send a copy of your letter to them. Title: US NM: Johnson Bill Would Legalize Small Amounts of Pot URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n027/a05.html Pubdate: Sat, 06 Jan 2001 Copyright: 2001 Albuquerque Journal Contact: Title: US NM: Governor To Pursue Changes In Drug Policy URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n027/a08.html Pubdate: Sat, 06 Jan 2001 Source: Albuquerque Tribune (NM) Contact: Title: US NM: Johnson To Propose Some Drug Legalization For NM URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n028/a10.html Pubdate: Sat, 06 Jan 2001 Source: El Paso Times (TX) Contact: Title: US NM: Johnson's Staff To Draft Eight Drug Bills URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n029/a01.html Pubdate: Sat, 06 Jan 2001 Source: Santa Fe New Mexican (NM) Contact: Title: US NM: Local Political Leaders Blast Johnson's Plans URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n033/a02.html Pubdate: Sat, 06 Jan 2001 Source: Farmington Daily Times (NM) Contact: ARTICLE US NM: Editorial: Let Serious Drug Policy Reform Begin URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01.n035.a02.html Newshawk: Sledhead Pubdate: Sat, 06 Jan 2001 Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM) Copyright: 2001 Albuquerque Journal Contact: Address: P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, N.M. 87103 Website: http://www.abqjournal.com/ LET SERIOUS DRUG POLICY REFORM BEGIN As America's drug czar, Barry McCaffrey, leaves office, we find the use of steroids, ecstasy and other drugs is up nationally, despite a federal drug-fighting budget in the billions. We find Rio Arriba leads New Mexico counties in per-capita drug overdose fatalities, with 16 deaths last year. Since the beginning of 1999, 70 have died in Rio Arriba and Santa Fe counties alone. Per capita, New Mexico is the worst in the nation in drug overdose deaths. People are dying, prisons are filling up and treatment facilities are inadequate. It is time to seek "common sense" drug policy reform. That is what Gov. Gary Johnson asked for in creating a special committee last summer; that is what he has received in its recommendations to him this week. What is needed next is for the Legislature to objectively consider the drug-related bills Johnson has promised to present, including a bill to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. To some, the proposals will be anathema. But it is important to note, as the committee points out in its letter to Johnson, that much of current drug policy -- and public perception -- "is based on misleading and even patently false information about illegal drugs. ... Even more disturbing, (we) determined that false information frequently comes from sources that we expect to be reliable, including our own federal government." Johnson has been criticized, with reason, for shooting from the hip in advocating radical drug policy changes, without details and underlying analysis. That criticism loses validity with the work of this committee. Comprised of New Mexicans familiar with the state, its 10 members have extensive and varied expertise in health, community issues, law enforcement and the courts. Current drug policy, the committee found, is "expensive, harmful to families, wasting taxpayer money, filling prisons and is not letting the Legislature prioritize its resources," in the words of chairman W. C. "Woody" Smith, a retired state court judge. "What we've been doing for decades is make things worse." The committee approached its task, as Johnson requested, in terms of "harm reduction." What could the state do with drug policy to decrease death, disease, crime and suffering, and at the same time exercise fiscal responsibility with taxpayer dollars? The state Department of Health has already acted to reduce harm in northern New Mexico: On Wednesday it delivered to Espanola Valley doctors 100 syringes of naloxone (cost to the state: $1.50 each), a drug which reverses the deadly effects of overdosing on heroin, morphine or methadone. Dr. Steve Jenison, of the state Public Health Division, and Alex Valdez, state health secretary, helped facilitate the action; both are members of the drug policy committee. State Police would like to train officers in administering naloxone, but first want the Legislature to pass a law protecting them from possible lawsuits. The panel also recommends amending laws to allow the sale of sterile syringes in pharmacies and to allow doctor-prescribed medical use of marijuana. It recommends amendment of criminal statutes on drug possession to reduce first and second offenses to misdemeanors, as is done in Arizona and California, and require treatment rather than jail time. It suggests a number of ways to make effective treatment available and to enhance drug education. It points out that particular attention should be paid to the needs of children and teen-agers suffering from mental illnesses who are self-medicating with alcohol and other drugs. It is time for a re-examination of thinking about drugs. It is time to shift focus from imprisonment to treatment and prevention, from fear and ignorance to education. It is imperative that this panel continue in some form. It behooves the Legislature to develop a comprehensive statewide drug policy. For starters, lawmakers should conduct a meaningful impact analysis of what current laws, incarceration and lack of treatment cost the state, not only in actual dollars, but in terms of lost wages, broken families, school dropout rates and lost lives. SAMPLE LETTER To the editor: While the upper levels of government often leave me dismayed, my faith that there are some politicians who really do care about the people they govern is always bolstered when I hear Gov. Gary Johnson promoting ideas about drug policy reform. Now that he is talking about getting some legislation on the issue into the statehouse, I am even more impressed. I'm not surprised that there are many other politicians and drug war beneficiaries who are decrying even the discussion Johnson has raised. When drug policy is reformed even slightly, the remaining vestiges of drug prohibition are further exposed as disastrous and counterproductive. This fading illusion of a successful drug war, not the problems associated with drugs, is the true concern of the drug warrior. Stephen Young IMPORTANT: Always include your address and telephone number Please note: If you choose to use this letter as a model please modify it at least somewhat so that the paper does not receive numerous copies of the same letter and so that the original author receives credit for his/her work. ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing efforts 3 Tips for Letter Writers http://www.mapinc.org/3tips.htm Letter Writers Style Guide http://www.mapinc.org/style.htm TO SUBSCRIBE, DONATE, VOLUNTEER TO HELP, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL SEE http://www.drugsense.org/hurry.htm TO UNSUBSCRIBE SEE http://www.drugsense.org/unsub.htm Prepared by Stephen Young - http://home.att.net/~theyoungfamily Focus Alert Specialist

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