By Nicholas Wilbur

New Mexico’s own Gary Johnson, who served as governor from 1994 to 2002, and whom many are touting as a potential candidate for president in 2012, has publicly decried the war on drugs, and the prosecution of marijuana-related crimes in particular.

In a sit-down interview with Prime Time, Johnson was candid about his own experiences with marijuana and straight-forward about his philosophy behind legalization.
“I haven’t had a drink of alcohol in 22 years. I have smoked pot,” he said. “I never would have called it a youthful indiscretion. I never would have called it a mistake. I did it.”
Since being re-elected to a second term as governor, Johnson has advocated for the legalization of marijuana on several fronts. In the last few months of touring the U.S. as part of his Our America Initiative, he has met more and more people who agree with his stance on the issue.

Gary Johnson, marijuana advocate and governer of New Mexico (1994-2002)

In short, he believes that because half of the money this country spends on prisons, courts and law enforcement is drug-related, it would save billions to decriminalize marijuana. A 50 percent tax would more than compete with current market value, which would eliminate the black market and therefore reduce violent crimes related to marijuana trafficking and distribution. In addition to the savings there is also the creation of a new government revenue stream, which, considering local and national deficits, might make now a more opportune time than any before to legalize it and collect the estimated seven to eleven billion dollars a tax on marijuana is expected to generate.

Crime is crime, whether you’re on drugs or not. He isn’t arguing that crimes committed while under the influence of marijuana are somehow exempt. Neither does he argue for the legalization of any other drugs.

But he believes the this to be a health issue, not a criminal issue. The problems surrounding marijuana are “90 percent prohibition related,” and therefore avoidable through legalization, he said.
He likes to compare the current prohibition of marijuana to the failed attempt to criminalize alcohol during the 1920s and early ’30s. If someone wants to smoke pot recreationally in their personal time, “as long as they’re not going to do harm, arguably except to themselves, they should be able to do so” and not face prosecution.

Similar to those who drank alcohol during the Prohibition, Johnson believes it is equally foolish to assume that people who enjoy smoking marijuana will suddenly stop doing so, even when threatened with jail time or rehabilitation.

The legalization of marijuana, he said, “is going to allow law enforcement to focus on real crime.”

By those who smoke marijuana recreationally, it is seen as “one of life’s pleasures,” he said. And mirroring the comments Prime Time received from local sources, Johnson said, “Pot is a lot safer than alcohol.”

But while the people he speaks with are in agreement, he remains the only “political” representative who dares to publicly advocate this pro-legalization stance.

“Nobody else has embraced it,” he said of those in power. “But the people have.”

Asked how long it will take for this pro-legalization movement to gain enough traction to force Congress to act, Johnson said, “I believe the tipping point is here.”

We will see.