JOHNSON TO PROPOSE $5 MILLION FOR DRUG TREATMENT

SANTA FE Gov. Gary Johnson will propose $5 million to expand drug abuse
treatment and prevention in New Mexico, a move to attract support from
Democrats for his crusade to overhaul drug laws.

Democrats have complained that Johnson has proposed to ease drug sentencing
laws but didn't recommend substantial increases for drug abuse treatment
programs in his budget recommendations to the Legislature.

On Tuesday, several Senate Democrats stepped up their criticism of Johnson
and suggested that at least $40 million was needed to deal with drug abuse
problems such as heroin addiction and overdose deaths in northern New Mexico.

"We can work to solve these problems, but we can't do it without treatment
money," said Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, who supports Johnson's
efforts to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana and
to legalize the medical use of marijuana.

Dave Miller, the governor's legislative liaison, said Johnson would propose
spending $5 million for treatment of drug addicts as well as other
programs, such as expanding methadone treatment for heroin addicts. The
administration also is considering ways to offer follow-up treatment and
prevention programs to prison inmates after they are released on parole.

The administration budget, Miller said, had recommended a $1.6 million
expansion of drug court programs that offer treatment to offenders rather
than sending them to prison.

Miller said the administration was concerned that treatment monies 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.

Johnson has bipartisan sponsors for the medical marijuana proposal.

Sen. Roman Maes, D-Santa Fe, and Rep. Joseph Thompson, R-Albuquerque, will
introduce the legislation.

"I think we've got to take the blinders off once and for all and start
dealing with this issue forthright," Maes said at a news conference. "This
peice of legislation is critical to people who are very ill."

In general, the legislation would permit use of marijuana for people
suffering from certain illnesses, such as severe pain or nausea associated
with cancer.

A 1978 state law allows medical marijuana only as part of a research
project, but nothing has been funded for more than a decade.

McSorley said he didn't think the debate over drug treatment money would
derail the medical marijuana proposal although it could become a factor in
whether lawmakers back other drug-related measures advocated by Johnson.

"Right now I'm sensing from both Democrats and Republicans that there is
enough support independently to get this bill through regardless," said
McSorley.

Thompson agreed, but said "right now some of my Democrat colleagues are
reluctant to participate" in the drug policy reform effort because they
want to see what Johnson will support for drug treatment.

Joining legislators at the news conference was Dr. Lester Grinspoon, an
associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School who has written
books on the medical use of marijuana.

"The fact is this is going to be a very versatile medicine, which will be
safe and inexpensive," said Grinspoon.