Sarah Smith, co-leader of the New Mexico Freedoms Alliance, said that a CWS Research poll indicated strong public support for tougher penalties on drug dealers and repeat offenders. Despite this, crime bills HB 107 and HB 136 are being tabled. She made the statement in a press release on February 13.
"Violent repeat offenders are allowed to continue destroying our community," said Smith. "It is time for our legislators to stop politicizing this issue."
According to the press release, the poll found that 93% of New Mexico voters support tougher penalties for fentanyl and other drug dealers, with unanimous support among 18-24-year-olds and Latino respondents. Additionally, 94% of voters support holding repeat violent offenders without bail. NMBC CEO Carla Sonntag said rejecting HB 107, which sought stricter penalties for drug dealers, directly contradicts public opinion.
New Mexico's recidivism rate has risen to nearly 40%, higher than the national average of 27%, with substance abuse cited as a key driver. A legislative report found that individuals incarcerated for drug-related offenses are more likely to return to prison, and data tracking issues have hindered efforts to measure the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs.
House Bill 136, introduced in the 2025 New Mexico Legislative Session, seeks to amend Section 30-6-1 of state statutes to classify intentional exposure of a child to fentanyl as prima facie evidence of child abuse. This change would align fentanyl exposure with existing laws that recognize methamphetamine exposure as child abuse.
According to NMHealth reports from 2023, fentanyl was involved in 65% of overdose deaths in New Mexico, while methamphetamine was linked to 51%. The majority (84%) of overdose deaths occurred among individuals aged 25-64, with the highest concentration (26%) in the 35-44 age group.
Smith is described as a homeschooling mother of two and former NASA aerospace engineer. She is also a natural healthcare practitioner, health and lifestyle blogger, and homesteader in Las Cruces according to the New Mexico Freedoms Alliance website.
