JOHNSON: POT MORE BENIGN THAN ALCOHOL

Gov. Gary Johnson on Tuesday defended marijuana use in comparison with
alcohol consumption, arguing that pot smokers pose less danger to society
than heavy drinkers.

During a speech at a drug legalization forum in Albuquerque, Johnson
described a hypothetical party at which one man was "raging drunk" and
another had "smoked way too much marijuana." Johnson said most people would
avoid the drunk, and certainly wouldn't get into a car he was driving. As
for the pot smoker? "The only damage he's going to do is to a bag of potato
chips, yet this is the guy we're putting in jail," Johnson said.

The governor's anecdote drew loud laughter and applause from a supportive,
standing-room-only crowd at a forum titled "Legalization: A Bold
Alternative to the Drug War."

Johnson, who twice received standing ovations, reiterated many of his
previous remarks in support of legalization, including his notion that the
effect of marijuana is "kind of cool."

Johnson, who has repeatedly called drug use a bad choice, characterized
heroin and cocaine as "dangerous," and described marijuana as a "handicap."

"Marijuana is a handicap," said Johnson, who smoked pot in college but
stopped in his early 20s. "If nothing else, don't use marijuana because if
you get caught, the rest of your life could be negatively affected."

But Johnson said if drugs were legalized, regulated and taxed, society
would be a better place.

"Legalization would unquestionably lead to less drug abuse," Johnson said.
"There is no question we would have a higher quality of life if drugs were
legal. We could control products that are currently not controlled."

Johnson was joined at the forum by California Superior Court Judge James P.
Gray and Deborah Small, director of public policy for the Lindesmith Center
in New York.

Gray and Small agreed with Johnson's position that the United States should
reform its drug policies, but they stopped short of supporting his call for
wide-scale drug legalization. Total opposition to Johnson's stance was not
represented at the forum.

"I have some reservations about legalization," Small told the audience. "I
worry that if we only address the issue of legalization and don't address
the underlying issues that lead to substance abuse, then we really wouldn't
be doing America a favor."

Small said better treatment would help solve the drug problem.

"The fact that treatment is not available for everyone who wants it and
needs it is the true crime," Small said.

Gray said anyone who believes the war on drugs is working is wrong.

"We can't even keep these dangerous drugs out of our prisons, much less out
of Downtown Albuquerque," Gray said.

He said Johnson was recently referred to in a Los Angeles Times article as
a "traitor" to the drug war.

"Someone who is a traitor to a failed policy is a patriot for common good
and common sense," Gray said.

He said U.S. drug policy will eventually change, but the American public
must lead the way because politicians don't have the courage.

"It's our government and our responsibility, so let's get's busy," Gray said.