JOHNSON FORMS DRUG-REFORM GROUP

Gov. Johnson and a group of his closest advisors have taken the first
steps to set up a new national organization to support the
liberalization of drug laws.

Johnson said he formed Americans Against the War on Drugs as a
nonprofit organization dedicated to educating elected officials and
candidates for office about drug-law reform. He plans to be a
spokesman for the new group after he leaves office in Jan.

"Groups like NORML and the Drug Policy Alliance do a great job,"
Johnson said Wednesday. "But the one gap I see, the missing link, if
you will, is reaching the policy makers. Many leaders won't schedule
meetings with NORML," he said. However, he hopes politicians who are
scared off by such groups might be willing to talk with a former governor.

The focus will be on reaching incumbent or candidates for major office
such as a governor, U.S. senator or U.S. representative in hopes of
finding support for changing drug laws.

They'll launch a Web site later this year and will be doing some
direct mail to try to raise some money for it. He and supporters
filed incorporation papers for Americans Against the War on Drugs with
the state public regulation commission last month.