Pubdate: Sat, 02 Oct 1999
Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)
Copyright: 1999 Albuquerque Journal
Contact:  P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, N.M. 87103
Website: http://www.abqjournal.com/
Author: Barry Massey, The Associated Press
Related: Related: http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0120.html 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99.n1064.a07.html

DRUG CZAR CRITICIZES GOVERNOR JOHNSON

President Clinton's drug czar fired a barrage of criticism Friday at Gov.
Gary Johnson for supporting the legalization of marijuana and heroin.

Barry McCaffrey, director of the White House Office of National Drug
Control Policy, said Johnson's "actions serve as a terrible model for the
rest of the nation."

McCaffrey plans to visit New Mexico next week. "Sadly, Gov. Johnson does
not understand that drugs aren't dangerous because they are illegal -- they
are illegal because they are dangerous," McCaffrey said in a statement
issued by his office in Washington, D.C.

Johnson said Wednesday that he supported legalization of some drugs as a
national policy but has no plans to propose legislation to make drugs legal
in New Mexico.

The governor, in a statement responding to McCaffrey, said they both want
to reduce drug use but differ on how to do so.

"His primary emphasis is on prohibition, interdiction and incarceration,"
Johnson said. "My emphasis would be on legalization, treatment and education."

The criticism from McCaffrey came days before Johnson was to travel to
Washington, D.C., to push ahead with his crusade for a national debate on
drug policies.

The governor is to appear Tuesday at a conference on drug policy reform
sponsored by the libertarian Cato Institute, which advocates drug
legalization. Johnson will meet with a college-student group in Washington
on Tuesday as well as leaders of several organizations pushing for
drug-policy changes.

U.S. Attorney John Kelly invited McCaffrey to Albuquerque, where he will
deliver a luncheon speech Thursday. Last month, McCaffrey sent a letter to
Johnson urging the governor to reconsider his drug-policy campaign.

Johnson, who has acknowledged using marijuana and cocaine in the 1970s, has
stressed that he is not condoning drug use, especially by children.
Johnson, a triathlete, does not drink alcohol or smoke.
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