cannabisnews.com: Johnson Bill Would Legalize Small Amounts of Pot Johnson Bill Would Legalize Small Amounts of Pot Posted by FoM on January 06, 2001 at 07:34:52 PT By S.U. Mahesh, Journal Capitol Bureau Source: Albuquerque Journal Gov. Gary Johnson, who has crusaded nationally for liberalized drug laws, said Friday he will ask the Legislature to consider eight bills to reform drug policies in New Mexico. The Republican governor's legislation would include decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana for personal use. The idea of reducing drug penalties — even with the aim of focusing more on treatment — immediately drew criticism from some lawmakers, including members of Johnson's own party. But, while he declined to name them, Johnson said some Democrats and Republicans have agreed, at least in principle, to sponsor his proposed drug bills. "Let's move from a criminalized model to a medical model," Johnson said at a news conference at the Capitol. "The bottom line isn't to lock people up. The bottom line is to help people out ... The bottom line is to reduce crime." Johnson has argued that the nation's "war on drugs" has been a failure and has spoken around the country in an effort to spark national discussion of drug policy reforms. But Senate President Pro Tem Manny Aragon, D-Albuquerque, said the state's upcoming legislative session, starting Jan. 16, will have other priorities, including education, health care and public safety. "We're going to put all our efforts into addressing those concerns," Aragon said. "I don't think Johnson's proposals are the main priority for the people of New Mexico." Reps. Ron Godbey, R-Albuquerque, and Thomas Taylor, R-Farmington, both members of the Legislature's interim Courts and Criminal Justice Committee, said they are opposed to Johnson's proposals. "I don't see the proposals made there are all that effective in improving the situation," Taylor said. Godbey contended that, contrary to Johnson's claims, crime and addictions have gone up wherever drugs have been legalized. "All these things he's been talking about have been tried in this country, and they failed," Godbey said. Rep. Joe Thompson R-Albuquerque, another member of the Courts and Criminal Justice Committee, said he wanted to see more details before commenting on the proposed bills. "I am a great admirer of Gov. Johnson," Thompson said. "I think his showing is incredible on this issue." Johnson's proposed reforms mirror recommendations by his Drug Policy Advisory Group earlier this week for sentencing reforms and more treatment options. The recommendations center on trying to move more nonviolent drug offenders out of the penal system and into drug treatment programs. The governor's drug advisers recommended decriminalizing marijuana possession up to an ounce and allowing the use of marijuana by cancer patients and others under certain medical treatments. Johnson, who has been a strong advocate of legalizing marijuana, called his drug advisers' report "a common-sense approach to drug policy. "I think this group has recommended balanced and smart strategies," the governor said. Based on the advisory group's recommendations, Johnson said he has directed David Miller of his staff to draft eight bills. Along with decriminalizing marijuana, some of Johnson's proposals to the Legislature would include: reducing first and second drug-possession offenses from felonies to misdemeanors; abolishing mandatory habitual-sentencing laws for repeat drug offenders; and making syringes more easily available for addicts. "I am optimistic that this might actually get accomplished," Johnson said. "When you actually look at the bills, I find it difficult for anybody to disagree with any one of the bills." The governor argued that, in the long run, the proposed reforms would help to reduce drug-related problems in New Mexico. "The new bottom line is about saving lives; it's about reducing diseases; it's about saving money ... it's about cutting crime," Johnson said. The governor said "the entire nation, right now, is focused on New Mexico and drug reform and what we might actually accomplish." Johnson said he supports punishing those who sell drugs, including to kids, and those who harm others with their drug-related behavior. However, he said people who use marijuana within the confines of their own homes, without harming anyone but themselves, should not be penalized.Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)Author: S.U. Mahesh, Journal Capitol BureauPublished: Saturday, January 6, 2001Copyright: 2001 Albuquerque JournalAddress: P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, N.M. 87103Contact: opinion abqjournal.comWebsite: http://www.abqjournal.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Governor Gary Johnson's Home Pagehttp://www.governor.state.nm.us/Drug Panel Wants More Treatment, New Lawshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8212.shtmlNew Mexico Thumbs It's Nose at The War on Drugshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8203.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Governor Gary Johnsonhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=gary+johnson Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #12 posted by dddd on January 09, 2001 at 01:00:32 PT Hide I cant resist commenting further Neil;."Sorry I seem shallow but that stereotype just nauseates me. What is it with that and why do so many assume the valence of a pothead. I smoke pot and I've never had the urge to become that way. In fact, knowing how sensitive people are to the use of drugs, I try to be as inconspicuous about it as possible. Discretion seems smart. I guess I don't like it when I witness people acting in a way that I deem stupid. It's almost as if they want to get busted." I dont know how old you are Neil,but my old ass is gettin' ready to say goobye to the forties in Several years. When I was young,things were way different.You didnt really have to hide,to smoke some weed.Long hair was normal.I toured with some bands in the seventies.It's like I'm from a "tribe" of longhaired people.I only wear tye die shirts on special occassions....... I am one of millions of honest,hardworking,taxpaying American citizens,who dont want to hide,or go to jail for smoking marijuana,which is quite harmless.compared to legal drugs,,and I am tired of people who seem to think they should be able to dictate what I do in the privacy of my home,,,or how I raise my children,,or what I do with my own body.Be real,Neil,,what the heck are you doing? You're appear to be obsessed with this "parent/children/drug,,hide if you wanna get stoned" thing.,,,and you dislike people who dont hide when they are doing the evil demon weed. I think you should beware about stereotyping people.If we somehow met each other,,,while you were thinking that I am a digusting stupid longhaired hippie,I'd probably be thinking you looked like some yuppie,turkey,phoney,,wanna be normal, geek,,,who is stressed by the paronoia of thinking that marijuana is bad,evil,and illegal,,,and that it is an unnacceptable and shameful herb to use,and a disgusting thing to do....I really dont understand why you think pot is so disgusting and evil,,unless someone else brainwashed you so subtly,that you didnt notice. Loosen up Neil......Let yourself go......Set yourself free....Dont let things that dont matter consume your intellect and happiness....................Buy an old Jethro Tull album......do something kinda irresponsible..........................................................................................dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by dddd on January 08, 2001 at 22:58:06 PT Offended? You would have a hard time offending me,dont be shy,I love a brisk exchange of opinions.I hope you wont be offended by my rhetoric either.......none the less,I appreciate the apology............dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Neil on January 08, 2001 at 22:06:00 PT So what is that all about? Sorry I seem shallow but that stereotype just nauseates me. What is it with that and why do so many assume the valence of a pothead. I smoke pot and I've never had the urge to become that way. In fact, knowing how sensitive people are to the use of drugs, I try to be as inconspicuous about it as possible. Discretion seems smart. I guess I don't like it when I witness people acting in a way that I deem stupid. It's almost as if they want to get busted. Didn't really mean to offend you. Sorry if I did. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by dddd on January 08, 2001 at 21:36:09 PT Finally So you finally decided to tell the truth.Does this mean you were lying before?,,,,(just kidding). It's a good thing that you admit that your views on parenting are somewhat extreme. I also want to tell you,that I welcome the expressing of your contraversial,and somewhat caustic viewpoints here.I think everyone deserves to think what they want.,,,,I am embarrassed for you however,when I hear your simplistic insults and judgements of people according to their physical appearance.It makes you seem quite shallow.................................................dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Neil on January 08, 2001 at 20:49:50 PT Well, to tell you the truth... Well, to tell you the truth, I have some admittedly extreme views about parenthood. Personally, I think that the strictest of all strict laws should be laws that regulate who can and cannot have children since it's probably one of the most important and most serious positions that an average person can hold. The potential for criminalizing a youth is great and the penalty for poor parenting is usually carried by someone other than the parent. You need a fishing license to go fishing, you need a business license to open a business, you need a drivers license to drive a car, you need a contractor's license to build a house but anybody can have a kid. No license necessary. No test. No interview. No qualification. No wonder we have so many that are trying to justify the rights of children to experiment with drugs or witness adults using drugs. If you're a parent and you're using drugs around kids you need to stop. Parenthood should be a privilege, not a right.Oh yea, I can hear your next questions coming. Bring em on. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by NiftySplifty on January 08, 2001 at 18:52:26 PT ddddamn! Hear, hear!I'll second that motion.Nifty... [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by dddd on January 08, 2001 at 11:10:01 PT Step back Neil Step back and look at the big picture Neil.It would seem to me,that you may want to reconsider the logic of your comment concerning parents,their children,and marijuana......Sounds to me,that if you had your way,everyone would have to check with you before they did anything that would be unhealthy to their kids,or themselves. The road your heading down would end up with laws that say;"you are not free to make your own decisions about what you do,and what you think".These laws are already here in many forms....If we keep going down the road that you seem to suggest we travel,,then it wont be long before you and I would not be able to freely express our opinions and viewpoints here. You should know better than to buy into the absurd story that our government has sponsored concerning Marijuana and drugs.Neil,do you trust the government?Do you feel that politicians should have more control over your personal life,and decisions you do?Where would the plan to outlaw a parent smoking marijuana in a house that has a child in it end?...Perhaps you would advocate drug testing for anyone who has a child,and take violators to jail.That would teach them....And with Mom and Dad in jail,the child will have a much better upbringing than if they where brought up by their evil,pot smoking mom and dad. You better find another cause Neil,if you are obsessing on the tall tale that you have been apparently brainwashed into believing,,that marijuana is some sort or evil,and that people who use it are devious,addicted slimeballs.I respectfully suggest that you should reconsider your view of marijuana.It's a much different thing than you seem to think it is.......Perhaps your hate of "drugs",,is why you disliked Traffic.Peace........................................dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by alex k. on January 08, 2001 at 10:00:26 PT Neil do you have kids? Then you must know the futility of hiding things from them. We build trust in our family not lies [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by sm247 on January 06, 2001 at 20:59:48 PT u have tried everything else now try reform [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Neil on January 06, 2001 at 20:37:07 PT Parents shouldn't smoke anything Are there any kids in those homes within whose confines people will be smoking marijuana and supposedly not harming anyone? If there are, Johnson is wrong and harm will definitely be done and harsh penalties are justified against parents or guardians doing such harm. Legalization will increase use and bring marijuana into more homes where it is currently taboo. Kids and irresponsible parents that have most of them are the real kick in the teeth against efforts to make more drugs more readily available. It stinks but it's the way it is. Can anyone envision a law being passed that legalizes marijuana, alcohol, tobacco and firearms but only for those that have no children? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Ben Cohn on January 06, 2001 at 12:31:47 PT: Bad Journalism Dick Cowan (marijuananews.com) has long said that the two words which best explain the continued prohibition of marijuana are BAD JOURNALISM."Godbey contended that, contrary to Johnson's claims, crime and addictions have gone up wherever drugs have been legalized."All these things he's been talking about have been tried in this country, and they failed," Godbey said.This man was allowed to invent facts and make wild misstatements, and no effort was made to fact check or rebut him. His remarks are given the same degree of authority as are those of Gov. Johnson and his aides and supporters, even though their statements are based on facts and reasoned arguments, while his are just whole-cloth lies.This doesn't actually surprise me, because the Albuquerque Journal has long shown itself to be a Prohibitionist rag without one good thing to say about Gov. Johnson, whom in my opinion is one of the bravest and most sincere politicians to hold office today.Any of you who live in or around Albuquerque should be writing letters about now...BC [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on January 06, 2001 at 08:16:48 PT Duhhh >>But Senate President Pro Tem Manny Aragon, D-Albuquerque, said the state's upcoming legislative session, starting Jan. 16, will have other priorities, including education, health care and public safety. Education - wouldn't we be able to afford a lot more if we didn't have to lock up harmless people and build prisons for them? I won't even mention how dropping DARE would be a bonus... Health care - is what this whole thing is about, really - GJ even says so in paragraph four. Medicinal Marijuana is just the beginning... Public Safety - wouldn't it be nice to not have a domestic war on? Wouldn't that improve safety?>>Godbey contended that, contrary to Johnson's claims, crime and addictions have gone up wherever drugs have been legalized. It's fun and easy to assume things without facts to back you up! We narks do it all the time! Come on, everybody - lies get you high! >>"All these things he's been talking about have been tried in this country, and they failed," Godbey said. Is he talking about Barry's War, or Gary's new proposals? Either way, I'd like to know where he gets his information, besides just thin air...>> "I don't think Johnson's proposals are the main priority for the people of New Mexico." "I mean, it's not like we're Washington DC or California. We don't even have a state level law which we need to ignore. The voters haven't spoken, so we can continue to consider them sheep." In all seriousness... GO GARY JOHNSON!!! As I type this we have no national drug czar. While I'm extremely hopeful that GWB just "forgets" to appoint one (I'm enjoying the holiday in any case!), if he does, I gotta hope and pray for Gary Johnson. Or Lester Grinspoon! Or Jack Herer... or Marc Emery... [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: