Gary Johnson, the current Republican governor of New Mexico, has never been a friend of mine. I voted against him in both of his victorious runs for office. He continually cuts education budgets and gives tax breaks to big business. His fanatical triathlon training makes the news every year, and his vetoes occur much more than him signing anything into law. In short, GJ has never done anything I supported--until now.

GJ is entertaining the idea of decriminalizing drug use in the state of New Mexico. As I sat and read the news story with a hint of disbelief, I couldn't decide if the governor had lost his mind or had experienced a moment of clarity.

Decriminalizing drug use is not a new idea. It's been a major point of Libertarians for years. On almost every social issue, Libertarians believe the government should stay out of the lives of private citizens. If someone wants to spend their lives with a needle in their arm in the privacy of their own homes, they should have the right. If a couple wants to express their feelings with cattle prods and leather accessories, let them moo and moan all night. To each their own. That's the Social Libertarian way, and it sounds good to me.

There is actually a great of logic to decriminalizing drug use beyond bizarre political theory rhetoric. In the first place, our jails are full. Do we need to build more jails so we can keep the hippies from toking up joints and spreading their message of, uh, their message of--? Well, whatever message the hippies would like to express. Do taxpayers really need to flip the bill to keep a crackhead or smack addict in a cage?

Another reason to consider decriminalization is that the current enforcement does not make drug addicts get off their crutch. Jail time may serve as a free detox center for addicts, but once they serve their time, the addicts continue their habits more times than not.

The last reason is purely personal. I'm a pothead. While I'm a pretty responsible pothead, I really don't want to do jail time because I happen to have a joint in my pocket. This isn't the sixties, and the police aren't so rabid about going after drug addicts as they used to be. I don't have to be like Ken Kesey running off to Mexico for eight months because of getting caught with marijuana.

In all honesty, decriminalization already pretty much exists in my hometown of Albuquerque. Every person I know who has been caught with marijuana in this town has been told to dump it on the ground, and the police confiscate all the bongs, pipes or other paraphernalia. I figure that's a fair punishment for getting caught by the police. The cops usually have worse things to deal with than slow giggling red-eyed folk.

It would be nice if the practice was actually a law as opposed to an unspoken rule that you hope the police are following that night. It would nice if the money spent on trying to enforce drug laws was spent on rehab centers instead (Junkies will only quit when they want to, trust me). It would be nice if we were humane instead of human.

I doubt if anything will really happen. Even if GJ gets a bill proposed in the House, the chances of getting majority approval are slim to none. Decriminalization of drug use is a political doomsday for any elected official. Think of the children!

But I'm going to say something I never thought I'd say. I'm with you on this one, GJ. I'm really with you on this.

Chris Jungle submitted a new platform stance for the Republican Party, but he has yet to hear back from them.