GOV. JOHNSON SEEKS TO LIBERALIZE DRUG LAWS

According to NPR's "Morning Edition," the Republican governor of New Mexico
is leading a legislative charge to liberalize drug laws in the state. Among
eight bills under consideration is a measure that would decriminalize
possession of up to one ounce of marijuana.

Gov. Gary Johnson has been an outspoken advocate of reform, saying
marijuana use doesn't necessarily harm other people. If the measure
passes, New Mexico would become the first state in more than two decades to
decriminalize marijuana use, but opposition to the bill is solid.

In "Gary Johnson Is Right," ( http://www.cato.org/dailys/09-03-99.html )
Executive Vice President David Boaz commends Johnson's leadership in
putting an end to the drug war. Johnson spoke at the Cato conference
"Beyond Prohibition: An Adult Approach to Drug Policies in the 21st
Century" last year and a video ( http://www.cato.org/realaudio/drugwar/con-10-05-99lad.ram ) and text
(http://www.cato.org/pubs/policy_report/v21n6/johnsonspeech.html ) of his
speech are available on the Cato Web site. Governor Johnson's also
contributed a chapter to the Cato book "Beyond Prohibition: An Adult
Approach to Drug Policies in the 21st Century." (
http://www.cato.org/cgi-bin/Web_store/web_store.cgi?page=afterprohibition.html&cart_id)