WAR ON DRUGS CAN'T BE WON

The new year is right around the corner, and with that comes new leaders.
All of the people that voters gave the thumbs-up to in November will be
sworn in.

New agendas and policies will be getting pushed as the Legislature starts
its session later this month.

But there is one that will not be getting any more attention: The "war" on
drugs.

New Mexicans overwhelmingly gave their support to Bill Richardson to be
their leader for the next four years. He will assume office in January of
the coming new year. His replacement, Governor. Gary Johnson, is on the
record as being in favor of decriminalizing small amounts of drugs.

He was publicly applauded by some and denounced by many; but at least he was
honest about his stance on the issue. Let me tell you about myself. I am 19
years old. I just completed a four-year tour of duty on a battleground in
the so-called "war on drugs," Socorro High School.

I know some of you are trying to put the puzzle pieces together already.
"Oh, he is 19, he must be into drugs." Well, so much for stereotyping. I am
not a drug user of any sort. I am not a drinker or a smoker.

In fact, I am disgusted by the entire subculture that the use recreational
drugs (particularly marijuana) has spawned. I believe all of the things I
mentioned are crutches for the weak in our society.

But let me be the first to say I believe our outgoing governor is right on
the money on this subject.

While I disagree with the lifestyle that recreational drug users have, I am
in favor of the decriminalization of small amounts of drugs.

I do believe that this "war" on drugs is a huge waste of our time. WE LOST.
Plain and simple. We lock up people by the thousands because of drugs. Our
prisons are full, and we wonder why. Maybe it is the hypocrisy and lies
being fed to Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public, who then, in turn, feed the lies
to their kids. Let's go over some of these lies and hypocrisies.

First, the messages we see on television or in magazines tell us stay away
from drugs. They are mostly funded by Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

How many of you know why they exist and who they are? Well, let me tell you.
They are lobbyists for the prescription drug industry. They do not care
about you. They just don't want you to buy those chemicals so they can sell
you theirs. Most believe they send a positive message to kids. WRONG! It is
just another commercial.

Secondly is the new message that came out after Sept. 11. "If you buy drugs,
you support the terrorists that hurt us." That is a huge lie.

First of all, as far as I can research, al Qaeda and the Taliban are very
much anti-drug. Also, most people know that a fair majority of drugs come
from our neighbors in the south.

We are very affected by the drug trade as we are a main port of entry for
these dealers. The last time I checked, Mexico and Colombia are not part of
the "axis of evil." Our leaders should look south, not east.

Finally is the message we get that all drug users are "dangerous criminals."
If you have been around drugs, you would know that most of these people use
drugs like marijuana and cocaine for the same reason people chain-smoke,
drink, or even eat compulsively.

To ease the harsh reality of the world around us. To escape from the malaise
that most of the people in our town and state are in.

Here in America, we have five percent of the world population, but about 25
percent of the world's prisoners.

Most are incarcerated for petty drug offenses. Decriminalization would ease
the overcrowding of jails and prisons, making them more cost- efficient and
safer, for that matter. The solution is in our hands -- we just have to put
two and two together.

In closing, let me say that I hope this issue does not leave the table. One
man has probably given up future political aspirations for something he
believes in.

I think we here in New Mexico see the writing on the wall. We should support
ideas like this. The other ones are not working.

I have come to the conclusion that America does not have a drug problem, but
some Americans do. It is not a crime, it is a medical problem, the same way
alcoholism is a medical problem.

Exaggerating the facts will not scare young people. Kids and teenagers are
not stupid, and know when they are being lied to.

I do not support legalizing anything at all. But I believe that we should
treat it as a lesser crime, because it is. We have to meet in the middle on
this one. Either side of the debate is not going to get anywhere by not
being open to new ideas. Our elected leaders are not doing anyone a favor by
ignoring the issue. They are like cowards because they are afraid of who
they will alienate.

I encourage you, the reader, to respond to this and to speak your mind in
public on this topic, whether you agree with me or not.

I wish Gary Johnson the best. I hope he will still be vocal on this topic.