COCAINE ACROSS THE COUNTER?

New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson Is A Firm Advocate For Decriminalizing
Drugs. He Wants The Federal Government To Relinquish Its Authority To
Regulate Drugs And Let States Decide On Legality. His Stance Has
Galvanized Both Supporters And Critics.

(Albuquerque)--Gary Johnson used marijuana and cocaine in his younger days.
Now Johnson, 46, shuns illegal drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, Coca-Cola --
even candy bars.

Not that unusual a transformation for a man who came of age in 1960s
America.

Today, he advocates decriminalizing marijuana, cocaine and heroin,
arguing the government should spend its financial resources elsewhere.

Again, not that unusual a stance -- unless you know that Johnson is a
Republican, the governor of New Mexico and the highest-ranking elected
official in the United States to advocate legalization.

In taking his controversial positions, he has moved the debate over
national drug policy -- a debate that largely has been confined to
academics and think tanks -- into the political arena.

And Johnson said he intends to use his position to advance the issue
nationally.

He and other advocates want the federal government to relinquish the
authority to regulate drugs, much as it did with alcohol in the 1920s
during the waning days of Prohibition, and allow state and local
governments to decide the issue for themselves.

If they opt for legalization, states and local governments would
regulate, distribute and tax the drugs. The theory is this would
ensure the safety of the drugs, reduce crime associated with the black
market and provide more revenues.

Johnson has been harshly criticized by the Republican Party, members
of his anti-drug task force, law enforcement authorities from across
New Mexico, the lieutenant governor and federal drug policy director
Barry McCaffrey.

``Drugs aren't dangerous because they are illegal; they are illegal
because they are dangerous,'' McCaffrey said.

The governor, however, argues now is the time for a new approach.
Recent polls show that 13.6 million people today use drugs, half the
number in 1979.

``You understand how futile what we're doing is. At what point do you
reach critical mass and say, `Enough is enough,' '' Johnson said.

``By legalizing drugs we could reduce the amount of drug abuse we have
in this country,'' he added. ``Law enforcement would be able to
enforce laws we want them to but can't because half their focus is on
drugs.''

Prior to Johnson's announcement, the most prominent supporters of
decriminalizing drugs included conservative commentator William F.
Buckley and Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke.

Writing in a 1996 National Review article, Schmoke said drug
prohibition ``reduces the number of police officers available to
investigate violent crime; fosters adulterated, even poisonous, drugs,
and contributes significantly to the transmission of HIV.'' But under
a system of legalized drugs, he wrote, the government would ``control
the price, distribution and purity of addictive substances -- which it
already does with prescription drugs. This would take most of the
profit out of drug trafficking, and it is profits that drive the crime.''

But Schmoke was a mayor. Johnson is a governor, and his stance has
galvanized both supporters and critics.

Those who support him argue that New Mexico spends too much money on
building prisons and courts and too little money on constructing
schools and hiring new teachers. He also has struck a chord nationally
with the Libertarian Party, which, despite Johnson's professed
disinterest in a higher office, is pressing him to become its
presidential candidate next year.

McCaffrey, who asserts that federal drug policy is working, has a
different view.

``The governor's actions serve as a terrible model for the rest of the
nation,'' the drug policy director said. ``Whether you call it
legalization, decriminalization or drug policy reform, the bottom line
is that the agenda espoused by people like Gov. Johnson would put more
drugs into the hands of our children and make drugs more available on
our nation's streets.''

John Dendahl, chairman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, said
some in the GOP are so angry over Johnson's position that they ``would
write a resolution absolutely condemning him. . . .''

``We are anti-drugs, pro-strict law enforcement and pro-severe
penalties,'' Dendahl said. ``I'm asking (Johnson) to leave the drug
discussion to others and to restore his focus on New Mexico issues.''

Johnson acknowledges the issue is volatile.

Though he has privately supported the legalization effort since his
college days, he says he deliberately waited until his final term to
publicly disclose those views. Johnson, who has served two terms, says
he will return to the private sector and will not pursue any other
political office when his term is up in 2003.

``I would like to see this as a political issue,'' Johnson said. He
acknowledged, ``I've got three years left. I'm going to make the most
of that.''

He already has put some of his controversial ideas to the test in New
Mexico, with decidedly mixed results.

This state, along with Hawaii, has the only statewide syringe exchange
program in the United States. Drug users can turn in old syringes and
get new ones. The reasoning is that the use of new syringes will at
least minimize the risk of infections from tainted needles.

Experts are watching the results of New Mexico's syringe exchange
program carefully. More than 100 syringe exchange programs have been
established in cities and counties around the nation, which, according
to seven federally funded studies, have significantly reduced the
re-use of dirty needles and the spread of HIV and hepatitis.

Some advocates of a change in drug policy encourage an even bolder
step -- direct government supply of heroin to addicts.

Johnson says the issue needs to be studied, and he suggests that
someday heroin might be available to registered addicts in pharmacies,
even grocery stores.