The Mexican Congress has approved a bill to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana, heroin, cocaine and even Ecstasy. Mexico says it hopes the measure will help police focus on large drug trafficking, rather than minor drug busts. The NM pro-drug message died a quiet death when Johnson & Company exited. No wonder. New Mexico's Rio Arriba County has the highest rate of heroin overdose deaths in America. (17 in 2004) If Mexico is going to concentrate on the big dealers they could start with the gangs that continue to flood Rio Arriba with deadly dope. Our own state and federal governments also need to do more.
Before this vote was taken in Mexico I wrote a college paper on drug legalization and then posted some of the paper on my blog. I still miss the logic that allowing small amounts of drugs would give Law Enforcement more time to concentrate on big dealers. Joe is correct on his mention of the high rate of heroin overdoses in Northern New Mexico. Ever wonder why we don't have a lot of Meth labs in Northern New Mexico? Because the Meth is brought in from Mexico along with the Heroin trucked in to New Mexico from Mexico.
Someone close to me was upset about my stand on immigration because they felt that the building of walls and the increased security would put a dent in the drug trafficking also. I still feel the main problem with legalization of even small amounts of narcotics will not deter crime related to drug addiction and remove a major avenue for those addicted to get treatment. Most people who get some type of treatment do so through the courts after charges are filed by law enforcement.
Joe Monehan and Julia Goldberg each mention how boring the primary elections are so far. I don't know, it is not boring to me. From the signs blowing away in the winds or otherwise coming to their demise,to the nasty comments from opponents. (Are Patricia Madrid and I the only ones getting negative campaigning from our opponents?) The election cycle is in full swing. With five weeks to go the radio ads, newsprint ads, forums, endorsements, and the fight for them are closing in. Oh well, 6-6-06 will come and pass pretty quickly. What a date for an election! You can see why I always throw in the zero.
In some unrelated good news my wife and I became Grandparents this last weekend. My Granddaughter Marilyn Judy was born Saturday. I still don't think of myself as a Grandfather and I don't think I am ready for the "Grandpa" license plate or t-shirt. Nonetheless I am very happy for my son and his fiancé. I am still hopeful that the world will be a better place for her and my Great Grandchildren. Isn't that what we all strive for in our own way? Whether its news reporters performing their service, or most politicians and especially those who believe in them and work for their election, all the way to those who just work hard every day just to pay the bills and give their children the basic necessities. We all hope for a better life for our children and their children. Its the basic premise of life in America.
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1 comment:
...there are senior citizens who've never registered to vote in their life who are going to register and vote to re-elect Sheriff Solano
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