cannabisnews.com: N.M. Governor Says Marijuana Should be Legal 





N.M. Governor Says Marijuana Should be Legal 
Posted by FoM on June 26, 2000 at 22:37:36 PT
By Patricia A. Bostic
Source: Houston Chronicle 
Ninety percent of the problems the nation faces with illegal drugs are due to drug prohibition rather than use, New Mexico's governor said here Monday. Gov. Gary Johnson said drug reform should begin with the legalization of marijuana. "I think it is really good politics to say that the war on drugs has failed miserably and that we need to be looking at alternatives," he said. 
If government controls, regulates and taxes drugs, Johnson believes a lot of the profit to drug cartels would be eliminated. "If you're doing marijuana in your home and doing no harm to anyone but yourself, do you belong in jail for making that bad choice? No," he told about 200 people at a luncheon sponsored by the Drug Policy Forum of Texas. Johnson described a clinic in Sweden where heroin addicts get a prescription and inject the drug. "The heroin cost is significantly less. There's not the need to commit the crime to be able to pay for the heroin. The heroin is clean. The needle is clean. The product is a given product. There is no overdose. There is no hepatitis B and no AIDS. "Tell me that this is not a better situation from what we presently have?" he said. The governor, however, said drug use still should be illegal for minors. "It will never be legal for kids to do drugs. Never. And it will never be legal to sell drugs," said Johnson, who readily admitted using marijuana in college. Janice Kinchion, political consultant and treasurer for the Harris County Democratic Party, agrees that marijuana should be legalized. "The war on drugs is such an entrenched ideology that it's going to be an uphill road to persuade the voters and the masses that this is good policy," she said. Chuck Rosenthal, the Republican Harris County district attorney candidate, said he's against legalizing drugs. "I'm not in favor of it, but I'm always glad to listen to other options," he said. "I'm not clear on how it shapes up from a medical" standpoint. Published: June 26, 2000Copyright 2000 Houston Chronicle Related Articles & Web Site:Governor Gary Johnson's Web Sitehttp://www.governor.state.nm.us/Drug Policy Forum of Texas http://www.mapinc.org/DPFT/Legalize Pot? How Absurdhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6156.shtmlJohnson Tells Students Not To Do Drugs http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5180.shtmlGovernor Touts Legalizing Drugs Again http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5166.shtmlWestern Governors to Push Agenda on Hopefuls http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6059.shtmlGovernors Trade Ideas At Summithttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6036.shtml 
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Comment #4 posted by Amanda Allison on August 16, 2001 at 13:47:19 PT:
Gov. Johnson for President!
I agree he would make an excellent candidate for President, then maybe the herb they call a "drug" would be legalized all over America. Just think of all the possibilities of it, even if it were just for hemp products! He would have my vote!
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Comment #3 posted by CD1 on June 27, 2000 at 12:57:36 PT
JOHNSON FOR PRESIDENT
I personally think that Gov. Johnson would make an ideal candidate for President in 2004. Let's start the campaign now. It would be great to have someone in the White House with the courage to speak the truth.
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Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on June 27, 2000 at 05:47:33 PT:
An important article...
Despite it's source.This article was written before Peter McWilliams's murder. It makes a very strong case for decrim on it's own merits.Penthouse: Reefer Mindlesshttp://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n884/a06.html?397
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Comment #1 posted by Dank~KRoniK on June 27, 2000 at 05:19:07 PT
Legalization
I think marijuana and other drug legalization is a great idea. Just look how Amsterdam has legalized it without any drastic consequences. Also, more people die or become sick each year because of unclean needles, AIDS, and Heppatitus B than from drug overdoses. Marijuana isn't responsible for a single death ever, and we know that isnt true of the drug war. If not from the simple statistics of it, atleast you can see how it would help people find a place for clean needles and clea
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