T
The420Guy
Guest
Former Democratic Gov. Toney Anaya is joining Republican Gov. Gary Johnson
in the crusade to revamp New Mexico's drug policies.
Anaya has been hired as a lobbyist by the Center for Policy Reform, a
non-profit group affiliated with the Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation.
A high-profile Republican also will work with Anaya on the issue. The group
hired Mickey Barnett, a former Republican state senator and now a lawyer in
Albuquerque, to serve as a lobbyist. Barnett is a GOP national committeeman
from New Mexico.
The foundation, a drug policy research institute with offices in New York,
San Francisco and Washington, D.C., has been a key supporter of Johnson's
campaign to promote the legalization of some drugs.
Johnson plans to ask the Legislature to decriminalize personal use and
possession of small amounts of marijuana and lower the criminal charges for
first- and second-time possession of other drugs such as heroin, cocaine
and LSD.
He also will propose allowing the medical use of marijuana for people
suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses.
New Mexico has had a law since 1978 to allow medical marijuana within a
formal research study but no program has been funded since 1986.
Anaya, who served as governor in 1983-86, said he supported all of
Johnson's proposed drug law changes and increased drug abuse treatment and
prevention programs.
"I see this as a tremendous opportunity to forge a bipartisan, cutting edge
drug policy that will provide prison for the real traffickers, increased
education and prevention programs for our youth, and meaningful treatment
for our ill," Anaya said in a statement released Tuesday.
Newshawk: DrugSense DrugSense
Pubdate: Tue, 16 Jan 2001
Source: Associated Press
Copyright: 2001 Associated Press
in the crusade to revamp New Mexico's drug policies.
Anaya has been hired as a lobbyist by the Center for Policy Reform, a
non-profit group affiliated with the Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation.
A high-profile Republican also will work with Anaya on the issue. The group
hired Mickey Barnett, a former Republican state senator and now a lawyer in
Albuquerque, to serve as a lobbyist. Barnett is a GOP national committeeman
from New Mexico.
The foundation, a drug policy research institute with offices in New York,
San Francisco and Washington, D.C., has been a key supporter of Johnson's
campaign to promote the legalization of some drugs.
Johnson plans to ask the Legislature to decriminalize personal use and
possession of small amounts of marijuana and lower the criminal charges for
first- and second-time possession of other drugs such as heroin, cocaine
and LSD.
He also will propose allowing the medical use of marijuana for people
suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses.
New Mexico has had a law since 1978 to allow medical marijuana within a
formal research study but no program has been funded since 1986.
Anaya, who served as governor in 1983-86, said he supported all of
Johnson's proposed drug law changes and increased drug abuse treatment and
prevention programs.
"I see this as a tremendous opportunity to forge a bipartisan, cutting edge
drug policy that will provide prison for the real traffickers, increased
education and prevention programs for our youth, and meaningful treatment
for our ill," Anaya said in a statement released Tuesday.
Newshawk: DrugSense DrugSense
Pubdate: Tue, 16 Jan 2001
Source: Associated Press
Copyright: 2001 Associated Press