GOVERNOR KEEPS UP DRUG-REFORM CRUSADE

Despite the fact that the state Legislature didn't pass most of Gov. Gary
Johnson's drug-law reform package, Johnson on Wednesday continued his fight
for liberalizing drug laws.

The governor's office announced that Johnson had filed a "friend of the
court'' brief in the United States vs. Oakland Cannabis Buyer's Cooperative
case before the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing for the legal use of marijuana
to treat certain medical conditions.

Johnson also appeared Wednesday on yet another national television show to
talk about drug laws. This time he was questioned by TV interviewer Mike
Barnicle on the MSNBC cable network in a spirited segment in which both the
governor and Barnicle raised their voices.

Barnicle told viewers that he was leery about liberalizing drug laws
because he has seven kids. Replied Johnson, "You're burying your head in
the sand if you don't know that statistically four out of your seven kids
are gonna do illegal drugs.''

Barnicle loudly denied that. "No! No! None of my kids are gonna do illegal
drugs!''

Then Johnson asked, "And really, Mike, aren't you most afraid of them doing
illegal drugs because of the prohibition against drugs and it will go on
their record and they might end up in prison and all of that?''

Barnicle said that wasn't true.

At one point during the interview, Johnson put his thumb to his nose with
his fingers splayed to demonstrate the attitude of many young people toward
drug laws in general.

After the interview, in which the governor participated by remote from the
state Capitol, Johnson told local reporters, "He really is sticking his
head in the sand if he doesn't think most his kids will try drugs.''

In the brief filed with the Supreme Court - which heard arguments Wednesday
in the medical-marijuana case - Johnson argued that marijuana is a states'
rights issue.

Friend-of-the-court briefs are filed by persons not directly involved in a
case, but who are interested in its outcome. The Oakland Cannabis Buyer's
Cooperative was sued by the U.S. Department of Justice to try to stop the
cooperative from distributing medical marijuana.

Part of the legislative package the Johnson introduced in the recently
completed session of the state Legislature called for establishing a
program in the state Health Department to allow patients to use marijuana
when recommended by their doctor.

During hearings on the bills, some legislators pointed to the court appeal
and said they were reluctant to pass a medical-marijuana bill in New Mexico
before the high court renders a decision in the case.

Each house of the Legislature passed its own medical-marijuana bill.
However, neither bill was passed by both houses and, therefore, died.

Johnson told reporters that he was excited that Patricio Martinez, governor
of the Mexican state of Chihuahua, in a recent newspaper interview came out
in favor of legalizing marijuana.

In the interview, published in the Mexican newspaper El Universo, Martinez
mentioned Johnson as an example of an American voice saying that the
so-called War on Drugs has been lost.

Johnson said he spoke with Martinez just days before the Mexican governor
was shot in the neck in December.

Their conversation came about a week after Mexican President Vicente Fox
said he favored liberalizing drug laws.