GOVERNOR BREAKS GOP RANKS BY ADVOCATING DRUG DECRIMINALIZATION

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) -- Gov. Gary Johnson barely rippled the political waters
five years ago when, as a candidate, he admitted using marijuana and cocaine
during the 1970s.

But the Republican is making waves now by promoting the decriminalization of
drugs. It is a stand that has put him at odds with his own party and left
him with virtually no political allies on the controversial issue.

"Right now, I'm out on my own," he said. "Some day we'll address this, and
maybe this is one of the first dominoes that gets the whole thing moving."

Johnson, 46, an avid athlete who doesn't drink alcohol or use drugs, said
people shouldn't go to jail for smoking marijuana. He contends the national
war against drugs has failed to stop the flow or use of drugs and it
consumes too much money that law enforcement and the judicial system could
better use to stop violent crime.

He wants to hold a series of public forums later this year to start a debate
on how the state and nation deals with drug use.

"I'm not trying to be a wacko," Johnson said.

He is alone among the nation's governors in pushing decriminalization as a
front-burner topic of public policy. Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura suggested
during his campaign that the state should consider legalizing marijuana, but
hasn't pushed for it since.

Johnson's support for lifting criminal sanctions for marijuana possession
runs contrary to the national GOP position of tough penalties -- including
mandatory minimum sentences -- for drug-related crimes. The National
Governors' Association strongly opposes drug legalization.

In New Mexico, Republican legislators worry the governor's drug stance could
hurt candidates next year. The state GOP executive committee reminded
Johnson of the party's tough-on-drugs position in a letter last month and
asked him not to advocate decriminalization of drugs.

"If you're an elected official, this is dangerous ground to tread on because
it's very easy to attack someone as pro-drugs," said Norman Ornstein, a
political analyst at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.

Only 11 states have lifted criminal sanctions for possession of small
amounts of marijuana, often treating it like a traffic violation.

In New Mexico, possessing an ounce or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor,
punishable by 15 days in jail. Possession of more than eight ounces is a
felony punishable by 18 months in prison.

During his 1994 campaign, his first bid for public office, Johnson disclosed
he had smoked marijuana in college and shortly thereafter. He even admitted
to using cocaine three times. But the drug use never became a major campaign
issue. Johnson won re-election last year and vowed not to run for another
political office.

Johnson doesn't advocate the use of drugs and said he still supports prison
time for drug traffickers. He also said it will take several years to change
anti-drug laws, and doesn't plan to push for legislation next year.

Johnson has won praise from groups in New Mexico and nationally that oppose
marijuana prohibition. They say public attitudes about drug laws are
softening. A Gallup poll earlier this year found that a majority of American
continue to oppose legalizing marijuana but they backed the medical use of
marijuana almost 3-to-1.

"I don't think Gov. Johnson is so far ahead of the American people. He is
simply ahead of most of the elected officials," said R. Keith Stroup,
executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana
Laws in Washington, D.C.