GOV. TELLS TEENS ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS MIGHT BE HELPING TERRORISTS

Gov. Gary Johnson said America's "war on drugs" may help finance terrorists
and their attacks on U.S. targets during a conversation Tuesday on his
drug-reform views with about 50 teens .

"The modern-day Al Capone is arguably Osama bin Laden," Johnson said. "I
think our war on drugs is perhaps ultimately contributing to terrorism.

"9-11 may have been significantly financed with drug money," he said.

The governor supports legalization of marijuana and harm-reduction
strategies, such as increased prevention and treatment programs, for harder
drugs such as heroin and cocaine.

Prohibition of drugs has greatly increased their cost, with the inflated
profits created by prohibition sometimes financing terrorism, especially
through heroin manufactured in Afghanistan, Johnson said.

Johnson's conclusions clash with a current national advertising campaign by
the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy that blames illegal
drug users for financing terrorism by buying drugs. The office spent nearly
$3.5 million to kick off the ad campaign with three commercial spots aired
before or during the Super Bowl last month.

But the drug office's own report last year on the price of illicit drugs
supports Johnson's view that drug prohibition increases profits for drug
dealers, some of whom may be terrorists.

The report found a kilogram of pure cocaine costs about $25,000 wholesale
in the United States, but the retail price is close to $225,000.

"Absent law enforcement, then, the cost of moving a kilogram of cocaine
from the wholesale level to the retail level would seem to be much less
than $200,000 - probably closer to the cost of marketing aspirin," the
report stated.

"Thus, much of the $200,000 (increase) that does not result from a markup
of wholesale price is presumably a consequence of domestic law
enforcement," the report stated.

John Walters - the nation's "drug czar" who directs the Office of National
Drug Control Policy in Washington, D.C. - couldn't be reached for comment
late Tuesday.

Walters has said the commercials are "among the most powerful and effective
(drug) prevention messages this office has ever released," in part because
the ads "appeal to the idealism of young people."

But the ads did not resonate with many teens gathered at the teen art
center Warehouse 21 to hear Johnson speak. Jesse Lowers, an 18-year- old
high school student from Taos, said the war on drugs is "the biggest waste
of money we have right now."

"It seems we could be making money on drugs as a taxable commodity," he said.

Lowers was impressed by Johnson's candor on drug reform.

"I was pretty shocked with his openness," he said.

Johnson said about 90 percent of the nation's drug problems stem from laws
prohibiting drug use and 10 percent from problems directly caused by drug
abuse. He blamed the current war on drugs on America's "propensity to
legislate morality."

"I want to stop locking people up for smoking pot," he said. "Most people
who smoke pot don't need rehabilitation."

Drug reform is a nonpartisan issue, and Johnson said he will support
Democratic candidates who back drug reform if the Republican candidate
opposes reform.

"I would personally vote that way, yes," said Johnson, a Republican who
will leave office when his second four-year term ends in January.

Even though the Legislature shot down half of his drug-reform bills this
year, Johnson said he is pleased with the bills that were passed and with
increased dialogue on the issue.

"I hope to live to see the day where we can treat this issue rationally,"
he said.

The Legislature rejected bills allowing marijuana use for some medical
conditions, decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana for personal
use and the option of treatment rather than incarceration for some
nonviolent drug possession offenders.

Three less controversial bills were approved, including legislation
allowing judges discretion in sentencing nonviolent habitual offenders;
reforming the state forfeiture act to protect innocent property owners in
drug cases; and allowing convicted drug offenders to apply for federal
assistance, such as food stamps, after their release.

Johnson said he has given up marijuana, alcohol, sugar and caffeine and has
been on a "natural buzz" from exercise and clean living. He plans to climb
Mount Everest after leaving office, but he still wants to stay involved in
the drug-reform movement.