LEGISLATOR LABELS CONFERENCE AS 'PRO-DRUGGIE'

An Albuquerque conference on new ideas to battle drug and alcohol abuse
will feature treatment and law enforcement specialists from around the world.

Among the speakers at next week's gathering will be the chief of police
from Zurich, Switzerland, who will talk about reducing drug-related street
crime.

A researcher from the San Francisco Department of Public Health will give
pointers on how communities can deal with the health effects of substance
abuse.

And a doctor from Darlinghurst, Australia, will give the lowdown on
methadone treatments for heroin addicts.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to expand our current thoughts about
these issues," New Mexico Health Secretary Alex Valdez said.

But one legislator says the conference guest list is a who's who of
advocates for drug legalization and programs that emphasize an end to the
nation's war on drugs.

"The conference is obviously a way to promote the legalization of drugs,"
said state Rep. Ron Godbey, an Albuquerque Republican. "From the list of
speakers they're bringing here, they're all pro-druggies.

"I'd sure hate to think the governor is using state resources to promote
this thing," said Godbey, who has been critical of New Mexico Gov. Gary
Johnson's outspoken support of legalizing marijuana.

The conference, called "Working Together for Better Outcomes," was
organized by the state Departments of Health and Public Safety.

A grant to pay for the conference was provided through the McCune
Foundation by the Open Society Institute, an organization started by
billionaire George Soros that advocates, among other things, a radical
shift in the nation's approach to drug policies.

The conference is scheduled for Dec. 11 and 12 at the Albuquerque Hilton,
1901 University Blvd. N.E.

"When the Departments of Health and Public Safety decided to do this,
because it is not about drug legalization, they specifically didn't involve
the governor or his office," said Katharine Huffman, the director of the
New Mexico Drug Policy Project, an offshoot of the Lindsmith Center, which
is a New York group that advocates changes to national policies on illegal
drugs.

"They wanted to be sure that it wasn't connected with that issue. Instead
the goal was to have a really serious, meaningful discussion about
community health and safety."

Health Secretary Valdez said there is no connection between Johnson's ideas
to legalize marijuana and the treatment and law enforcement issues that are
the focus of the conference.

"It is very easy to cast aspersions on any activity taking place around
this most critical issue as being an attempt to legalize drugs," Valdez
said. "And I would have to say that is not correct . . . and I feel very
comfortable with the direction we are pursuing."

Many of the ideas that will be discussed at the conference are the same
topics that a state advisory group is considering recommending to Johnson
for next month's legislative session.

The Governor's Drug Policy Advisory Group is expected to forward its
suggestions -- including ideas like enacting a medical marijuana law and
paying for more drug treatment programs -- to Johnson by the end of the month.

Huffman said the gist of the conference is to get experts on drug treatment
together with law enforcement officials to figure out ways to work together
to decrease drug use and the violence that goes with it.