Pubdate: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM) Copyright: 2002 Albuquerque Journal Contact: http://www.abqjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/10 Author: Andrew M. Ortiz Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/johnson.htm (Johnson, Gary) LEGISLATORS PUSHING WRONG MESSAGE I am shocked that we would have legislators who want to legalize drugs. As a law enforcement officer, I have worked in narcotics along with street patrol and strongly believe in the war on drugs. I have seen the devastating effects drugs have on the community up close and personal. As an undercover officer, I've seen parents smoke marijuana in front of newborn and young children. That teaches the children that it is all right to smoke marijuana, not go to school and to lead a life like their parents. "It is just a marijuana cigarette. It is harmless." I wish marijuana was just harmless. Legislators should see first-hand the effects marijuana and other drugs have on people and their families. I have spoken to hundreds of drug addicts, with many knowing I was a law enforcement officer and many not knowing that I was one. All said that they started by smoking harmless marijuana and climbed up the drug ladder to harder and meaner drugs. Does that mean we should legalize marijuana and hear people say that it will only be for adults? Adults and parents buy alcohol for teenagers. They will do it with marijuana, too. There is a TV commercial saying the state has spent $43 million fighting the war on drugs and they show a male wanting to know where that money went. This is not very much when you consider in New Mexico alone the drug trade brings in billions of dollars a year and tears apart thousands of lives. The commercial says the jails are getting overpopulated with drug offenders. They forgot to mention that those offenders are drug traffickers trying to sell drugs to children. ... Legislators who want to legalize drugs should change their efforts to get more programs to help the drug user instead of saying it is all right to do it. There are not enough treatment centers in New Mexico to help these people and educate the children. The waiting lists at treatment centers are long and take several months. ... Gov. Gary Johnson needs a reality check in the game of life and should come down and look at these addicts; his way of thinking may change. ANDREW M. ORTIZ Albuquerque - --- MAP posted-by: Beth