'NIGHTLINE' APPEARANCE KICKS OFF DRUG DEBATE

SANTA FE — None of Gov. Gary Johnson's proposed drug policy changes have
been introduced so far during this legislative session, but the subject
nonetheless triggered heated Senate debate Tuesday.

"We just had a warm-up without any bills being introduced," joked Lt. Gov.
Walter Bradley, presiding over the Senate, while prodding lawmakers to move
on with unfinished daily business.

Johnson has called the nation's "war on drugs" a failure and proposed
policy changes aimed at prevention, education and treatment.

In New Mexico, the governor has called for decriminalizing possession of
small amounts of marijuana for personal use, allowing certain patients to
use pot for medical reasons and abolishing mandatory prison terms on repeat
drug offenders, among other changes.

Johnson appeared Monday on ABC's "Nightline," a late-night, issue-oriented
news show, and defended his drug proposals, including marijuana
decriminalization and "harm reduction" strategies.

That appearance irked Sen. Manny Aragon, D-Albuquerque, who accused Johnson
of airing "neglect and dirty laundry of New Mexico" before the national
audience.

Aragon also charged that Johnson has proposed drug reforms but failed to
allocate money for treatment, education and intervention programs in his
executive budget.

He called upon Johnson to "stop playing games with these serious problems."

Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, had his say next.

McSorley, who plans to sponsor the marijuana decriminalization and medical
marijuana bills in the Senate, asked Johnson for $40 million for
substance-abuse treatment programs.

With $40 million, McSorley said, "We can make a dent in this problem."

But Sen. Don Kidd, R-Carlsbad, countered that $40 million for
substance-abuse treatment programs would have no effect unless it was put
in a bank and drug addicts received monthly allowances to buy drugs "so
they don't steal your TV."

Kidd said he would rather spend the money on educating children.

Dave Miller, the governor's legislative liaison, said later Tuesday that
Johnson would propose spending $5 million for treatment of drug addicts as
well as other programs, such as expanding methadone treatment for heroin
addicts.

Miller said the administration was concerned that treatment money would be
transformed into "political pork" if a large budget increase was approved
and legislators were permitted to allocate the spending to specific
projects benefiting their home areas.