In this story: Drug legalization called irresponsible Johnson acknowledges own marijuana use of marijuana, cocaine RELATED STORIES, SITES

October 6, 1999
Web posted at: 12:11 a.m. EDT (0411 GMT)

From staff and wire reports

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson is now the highest elected official to advocate the legalization of drugs. Johnson said everything from marijuana to heroin ought to be legalized because he believes the U.S. anti-drug effort is an expensive bust.

"Control it, regulate it, tax it," Johnson said of recreational drugs. "If you legalize it we might actually have a healthier society."

VIDEO Correspondent Charles Feldman reports on New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson's call to legalize drugs. Windows Media 28K 80K     MESSAGE BOARD War on drugs

Johnson, a Republican, said the nation's war on drugs has been a multibillion-dollar failure that throws too many people in prison.

"I'm not pro-drug here. I'm against drugs," Johnson told the libertarian Cato Institute on Tuesday. "Should you go to jail for just doing drugs? I say no. I say you shouldn't."

By at least one estimate, the United States spends some $40 billion each year trying to intercept drug shipments and arrest drug dealers and drug users.

But despite all the federal and local law enforcement efforts, only about 5 percent to 15 percent of the illegal drugs coming into the United States are actually seized. The rest of the drugs feed a $200 billion a year illicit business that caters to an estimated 13 million Americans each month.

Drug legalization called irresponsible

While Johnson spoke in Washington, the nation's drug policy director, Barry McCaffrey, was attending an event in Los Angeles celebrating the 17th anniversary of D.A.R.E., the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program aimed at children.

McCaffrey said Johnson's position is irresponsible.

"He's not listening to drug treatment experts and law enforcement authorities and educators in his own state about the devastation that these drugs do on Americans," McCaffrey said.

As evidence that the tide is turning in the war on drugs, the federal government cites surveys that indicate far fewer people are abusing drugs now than in 1979.

Critics, including the New Mexico governor, question the accuracy of the those surveys.

But even if the war on drugs is being lost, is legalization the answer?

Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch suggests that drug legalization advocates have not thought things through:

"Do you give a youngster drugs?" said Koch. "And how about a woman who is carrying a fetus, and the fetus will be adversely affected when she takes drugs ... the state should make that legal? I don't think so!"

Johnson acknowledges own use of marijuana, cocaine

As a college student, Johnson smoked marijuana. Now, as an athlete, he says he doesn't use drugs, alcohol or even some sugar products.

He admits it was a bad choice to use drugs when he was younger. But he says it was a choice that should not have risked landing him in jail.

"Marijuana is never going to have the devastating effects on us that alcohol and tobacco have on us," Johnson said. "If marijuana is legalized, alcohol abuse goes down, because people will have a substance choice."

He said marijuana is the best candidate to be legalized first, followed by more dangerous drugs such as heroin -- or cocaine, the other illegal drug Johnson has admitted having used.

Those dangerous drugs, Johnson said, should have even more restrictions on their sale and use than marijuana, such as perhaps requiring a doctor's prescription and being administered in a hospital or clinic.

"I don't want to see it in grocery stores," Johnson told reporters. "I'm assuming that wouldn't happen. The more dangerous the perception of the drug, the more control there would be."

Other constraints, Johnson said, should include restricting drug sales to people over 21 and increasing penalties for crimes committed under the influence of drugs.

Johnson said public reaction in calls and letters to his office has been running "97 to 3" in favor of his position, but he doubts he could get a drug legalization measure through the New Mexico legislature.

Meanwhile, a multipartisan group of Libertarians and others announced in New Mexico that it was filing with the Federal Election Commission to establish a Libertarian Draft Gary Johnson for President Committee.

Johnson politely refused.

Correspondent Charles Feldman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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