GODBEY 'APPALLED' BY GOVERNOR'S DRUG STANCE

State Rep. Ron Godbey minces no words when he talks
about Gov. Gary Johnson's ideas for drug reform.

"I'm appalled at what the governor's trying to do," Godbey,
R-Albuquerque, said Monday. "We have so many problems in the state
that to sidetrack on this kind of stuff is certainly
counterproductive." Johnson is expected to propose eight drug-reform
bills to the state Legislature during its 60-day session, which
started Tuesday. Last week, Johnson outlined measures that would:

Decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Make first
and second drug-possession offenses misdemeanors instead of felonies
and require automatic probation and substance-abuse treatment.

Eliminate mandatory jail sentences for drug-related offenses.

Legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Change laws to
make it easier for addicts to get clean syringes.

Limit liability
for distributing certain drugs that could help overdose victims.

Allow people with drug arrests to serve as abuse counselors.

Change state drug-forfeiture laws.

Johnson's bills are the result of recommendations from the governor's
Drug Policy Advisory Group, formed last year to come up with ideas on
drug reform. The governor has argued that the proposed reforms would
help reduce drug-related problems in New Mexico.

But Godbey, who represents the East Mountains area, said Johnson's
ideas are misleading and drug problems should be attacked with strong
law enforcement.

"I think (the governor's proposal) sends an extremely bad message and
I'm opposed to that," Godbey said.

In particular, Godbey said he is troubled by the push to legalize
marijuana for medical purposes. He pointed out that prescription drugs
are available that mirror the medicinal benefits of marijuana but
eliminate the mind-altering side effects.

The push for medical marijuana isn't coming from doctors, Godbey said.
Instead, support for medical use legalization comes from those who
support all marijuana use being legal.

"It's not the medical community that is asking for this," Godbey said.
"It's the druggies."

Godbey said he is opposed to all of the governor's bills except one.
He said he could stand behind the governor's proposal to change
forfeiture laws in drug-related cases.

Law-enforcement agencies can seize property after making an arrest on
any felony drug charges and can keep the property even if the charges
are dropped or the defendant is acquitted. Under the new proposal,
property seizures could not be made until there is a conviction. The
bill also proposes that any money or property gained from such
seizures should go to the state instead of local law-enforcement
agencies. Godbey said he will propose a "drug dealers' liability act"
during the session that would give drug-crime victims including a
victim's family members the right to sue drug dealers. Similar laws
have been passed in 11 other states and have already resulted in at
least two lawsuits, Godbey said. Johnson's argument that the "war on
drugs" hasn't worked is not correct, Godbey said. When federal and
state agencies have been tough on drugs, use has gone down, Godbey
said.

"(The governor is) just not very knowledgeable of history," he said.