JOHNSON TO INCREASE TREATMENT MONEY

SANTA FE -- Hoping to attract Democratic support for his drug-policy
reforms, Gov. Gary Johnson will propose spending increases for drug
treatment and prevention programs in New Mexico.

Johnson will unveil a $5 million treatment package later this week and will
recommend that state money from a settlement with tobacco companies be used
to pay for the budget increase.

"I'm hoping that will start to move things," Dave Miller, the governor's
legislative liaison, said Tuesday.

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.

Some Democrats, who might be potential allies with the Republican governor
on drug law changes, have been slow to express support for Johnson's
legislative package until they see what he recommends for treatment.

On Tuesday, several Senate Democrats criticized Johnson for not initially
offering a large expansion in treatment programs. At least $40 million is
needed to deal with drug abuse problems such as heroin addiction and
overdose deaths in northern New Mexico, according to one Democrat who is
allied with the governor.

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

Miller 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 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.

Johnson has bipartisan sponsors for the medical marijuana proposal.

Sen. Roman Maes, a Santa Fe Democrat, and Rep. Joseph Thompson, an
Albuquerque Republican, 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
piece 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," McSorley
said.

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," Grinspoon said.