GOVERNOR OF NEW MEXICO FORCING THE DRUG ISSUE INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

MELISSA BLOCK, host:

New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson has made headlines with his outspoken
belief that the war on drugs has been a failure. The New Mexico state
Legislature is debating eight legislative proposals aimed at
liberalizing the state's drug laws. As Tom Trowbridge reports from
Santa Fe, the Republican governor is trying to put his drug law reform
philosophy into practice.

TOM TROWBRIDGE reporting:

Momentum for change came earlier this year when Governor Johnson's
drug policy advisory group recommended a number of major reforms in
New Mexico's drug laws. One of the most contentious recommendations,
decriminalizing possession of an ounce or less of marijuana, is now
being considered by both chambers of the state Legislature. If
passed, New Mexico would be the first state to decriminalize that drug
in more than two decades. At a news conference earlier this year,
Governor Johnson said the bill reflects his belief that marijuana use
doesn't necessarily harm others.

Governor GARY JOHNSON (New Mexico): I sense everybody wants to back
off of this whole getting tougher concept. I sense everybody wants a
better handle on substance abuse. And again, let's deal with
substance abuse but let's not put somebody in jail for the use of marijuana.

TROWBRIDGE: Surprisingly, the governor has garnered significant
support for his drug reform program, both among state legislators and
the public. State Representative Joe Thompson.

State Representative JOE THOMPSON (New Mexico): It seems to me that
the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana is a rational
response to where we are now. We know that the usage is out there.
So what we're trying to do is just recognize that and deal with it in
a rational way.

TROWBRIDGE: Thompson is a Republican. The sponsors of both
decriminalization bills are Democrats. In fact, the call for change
in New Mexico's drug policies has forged some interesting political
ties. Former Governor Toney Anaya, a liberal Democrat, has teamed up
with Mickey Barnett, a former Republican state representative, to
lobby on behalf of Johnson's drug initiatives. The two are being paid
for their lobbying by the Lindesmith Center of New York, a drug law
reform think tank. Anaya says their political alliance displays the
strength of the argument.

Former Governor TONEY ANAYA (Democrat, New Mexico): Maybe there's some
merit. If the two extremes are talking about some of the same issues,
maybe there is some merit that needs to be analyzed.

TROWBRIDGE: The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana
Laws, or NORML, launched a radio advertisement campaign earlier this
year in Albuquerque and Santa Fe to support the governor's
initiatives.

(Soundbite of radio ad)

Unidentified Man: Seventy-six million Americans share a secret. Sometime in
their lives, they've smoked marijuana. Unfortunately, in New Mexico, more than
3,000 of these people were arrested last year. Some are...

TROWBRIDGE: But Governor's Johnson's message, that the war on drugs is
a failure, does not sit well with some state lawmakers. Ron Godbey is
a Republican state representative.

State Representative RON GODBEY (New Mexico): The governor's actually
intellectually dishonest. If he'll take an objective look to all
those things that he's parroting to promote drug legalization, I think
you'll find that he's absolutely incorrect and he's absolutely wrong.

TROWBRIDGE: Godbey believes that liberalization of drug laws will lead
to greater drug use and higher crime rates. With only a few days
remaining in the legislative session, most of the governor's proposals
remain under consideration. Bills to expand the state's needle
exchange program and to allow the medical use of marijuana are likely
to pass. The bill to decriminalize marijuana is not. Whatever the
outcome, Governor Johnson has met at least one of his goals: forcing
debate in New Mexico on the pros and cons of this country's drug
policy. For NPR News, I'm Tom Trowbridge in Santa Fe.