DRUG DEBATE HEATS UP

Legalization Discussion Splits State Lawmakers

SANTA FE -- Gov. Gary Johnson's call for public debate on drug policy,
including decriminalization of drug use, was applauded Friday by some key
Democratic legislators but rejected outright by Republicans.

"I'm not interested in discussing that issue," said Senate Minority Leader
L. Skip Vernon, R-Albuquerque, at a meeting of the Legislature's interim
Courts, Corrections and Criminal Justice Committee.

"The governor's had some great ideas. He's had some bad ideas, and this,
frankly, is the worst one I've seen," Vernon said.

Rep. Ron Godbey, R-Albuquerque, said: "I don't feel decriminalization is
even worthy of discussion." But some Democrats on the committee said they
welcomed the Republican governor's call for public discussion of state and
national drug policies.

"I applaud the governor for looking for new solutions," said Sen. Cisco
McSorley, a Democrat who represents a University of New Mexico-area
district in Albuquerque.

"My district has made it clear they support decriminalization of pot
(marijuana) for small amounts," McSorley said. "I think we need to do a
huge amount of public discussion on this."

Rep. R. David Pederson, D-Gallup, vice chairman of the committee, said he
thought a debate on drug policies would be positive.

"To say we can't even discuss this is very short-sighted," Pederson said.
"I think that's political posturing for the 2000 elections."

Sen. Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, who chairs the committee, said he plans to
meet privately with Johnson to see exactly what the governor has in mind.

Decriminalization would mean eliminating or reducing penalties for drug use.

Beyond calling for a public debate on the nation's drug problem, Johnson
has yet to suggest specific changes in policy or possible legislation. He
has not been specific about which drugs he would consider for
decriminalization or legalization, but he has said marijuana would be a
logical first step.

Johnson met Friday with the New Mexico Drug Policy Foundation, a private
nonprofit educational group led by Steven Bunch, an Albuquerque lawyer,
said Diane Kinderwater, the governor's press secretary.

"The governor, as he said he would do, is going to be educating himself on
this issue," Kinderwater said.

Also on Friday, several members of the Legislative Finance Committee
meeting in Deming expressed concern about Johnson's suggestion that some
degree of decriminalization be considered.

Rep. J. "Andy" Kissner, R-Las Cruces, said Johnson's suggestions are "just
outrageous," especially because of the state's zero tolerance approach to
drunken driving. Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, said that, with New
Mexico prison expansions to reduce crime by locking up criminals, talk of
decriminalization sends "a mixed message, in general, that I don't think is
positive to law enforcement."

The finance committee was in Deming to discuss drug interdiction efforts
along the Mexican border and heard from Deming-based U.S. Border Patrol
officials and state Public Safety Secretary Darren White.

White, a Johnson Cabinet member, said he agrees with the governor's
assertion that the drug war is failing because only about 5 to 15 percent
of illegal drugs crossing north over the border with Mexico are seized.

But White said: "I'm not personally ready to throw the white flag up."

White said he believes other tactics should be considered, such as reducing
demand on the U.S. side and cracking down on nations, such as Mexico, that
supply the bulk of drugs consumed by Americans.

Also coming out against decriminalization was James Jennings, director of
the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a Las Cruces-based
joint task force of federal, state and local narcotics police.

"As far as law enforcement is concerned, we need to keep our guard up, we
need to keep up the pressure," Jennings said. "I personally don't think
legalization has ever been the solution. It's been a miserable failure (in
some European countries)."

White appeared to irritate Smith when he said that even if State Police
doubled its current staff of 40 narcotics investigators, it would not
significantly affect illegal drug trade in New Mexico.

"There's just so much product and there's so much of a demand," White said.

Smith said he still expects to see requests for additional State Police
next year.