Note: A rare comment from MAP's Sr. Editor: We can not agree more with this
story. Gov. Johnson has his facts right. As those with a vested interest in
prohibition fight the truth every way they can, of course they will seek to
replace facts with propaganda. Governor Johnson is undoubtedly taking some
tremendous heat from drug warriors for his courageous stand. He is the
highest profile politician in the nation calling for a national debate on
drug policy. He needs PLENTY of encouragement.

Please consider calling his office to voice your opinion or faxing a copy
of your letter to him.

CALL Governor Johnson's Office (505) 827 3000

FAX Governor Johnson (505) 827 3026

Or send a note via the webform on his contact webpage at:
http://164.64.43.1/opinion/Opinion.htm

JOHNSON: PUBLIC DRUG DISCUSSION FRUITLESS

Gov. Gary Johnson says his crusade to legalize drugs such as heroin and
marijuana is going nowhere because opponents cannot agree on basic facts.

"It's fruitless," Johnson said. "If the dialogue is going to advance, if
the debate is going to advance, we've got to bottom out on what the facts
are. This is truly fruitless."

"I don't want to have any more debates if we can't arrive or acknowledge
what the facts are on these issues," he said. Johnson, a Republican, has
spent much of his time since June pressing for drug legalization and trying
to lead a national debate on the issue. He said the war on drugs is a failure.

Republican lawmakers disagreed with Johnson's drug reform campaign and have
complained that it was detracting from other issues confronting the state.

Johnson agreed Nov. 19 to tone down his advocacy for drug legalization at
least through the 2000 legislative session, which convenes Jan. 18.

Johnson said he realized that any more public discussion on legalizing
drugs was fruitless after a televised debate last week with District
Attorney Jeff Romero of Albuquerque.

Johnson contended crime and drug-use rates in the Netherlands -- where
marijuana has been decriminalized -- were lower than in the United States.
Romero said the rates were higher.

"I came to a revelation the other day in this debate with Romero, that what
everybody was presented with were facts that were 180 degrees apart, and at
this point, right now, I think this goes nowhere," Johnson said.

He said he no longer would wage a lone fight against the government and its
statistics.

"It can't be just me on these facts, because the powerful powers that be
are (running) the war on drugs," Johnson said.

"We're talking about the establishment. We're talking about the status
quo," he said.

Johnson said he continues to welcome vigorous debate on how to solve the
drug problem, but "can't continually respond to criticism about me because
those critics are 180 degrees (in opposition) of my facts."

"But any debate would have to agree ahead of time on what the facts are,"
he said.

Johnson said that if he is invited to speak to a citizens group about drug
legalization, he would decline or at least preface the discourse with a
warning.

"I spoke the other day at the Rotary Club in Albuquerque (about drug
legalization) and I told them that what you need to understand is that
everything I'm about to tell you is going to be disputed factually by the
status quo," Johnson said.