Pot. It’s the pesky, polarizing problem Pennsylvanians are pondering these days.

Medicinal. Recreational. To legalize or not to legalize.

The debate is on as the Keystone State considers joining a growing number of states that legalized marijuana beyond medicinal use. As of 2018, 33 states and the nation’s capital have adopted laws broadly legalizing marijuana in some form or fashion — Pennsylvania among them with a 2016 law allowing medicinal marijuana.

Ten states and the District of Columbia have gone a step further by enacting laws for recreational use.

Whether you’re for or against legalizing marijuana in Pennsylvania, no one can deny the state’s leaders praise and respect. Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration looks to the people it has been called upon to represent for feedback about such an important issue.

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman continues his statewide tour to every one of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to hear from constituents. Last week he heard from Butler County residents when his marijuana listening tour stopped at Slippery Rock University.

He heard heartfelt opposition from parents of active addicts who strongly believe cannabis is a gateway drug to other, more life-threatening, illegal drugs like opioids and heroin. He paid close attention to the longtime EMT volunteer forced to use Narcan more times than he would have ever imagined in order to save lives — a trend that simply seems to increase daily.

He listened intently to the young college senior who explained that her dreams of becoming a teacher were dashed by a pot possession conviction. But beyond hearing her plea, he even reached out after the meeting was over and asked the young woman to connect with his office to further discuss how the state’s present laws impact young people like herself.

Fetterman paid attention to recovering addicts about the pros and cons of marijuana as an alternative to help combat opioid abuse. He took note of constituents suffering from such conditions as anxiety, eating disorders and PTSD who said marijuana helped them face each new day.

But again, setting aside strong opinions, stories, research and beliefs about marijuana — the bigger issue is this — Fetterman listened. And not only did he listen, he commanded respect and dignity for every single person making their way to the microphone by not allowing speakers to address or debate one another personally.

Having just returned home to Pennsylvania from a state that recently legalized marijuana, I applaud state leaders for taking the time and interest in fully hearing from the people they’re elected to represent about such an important decision. Maine voters legalized cannabis for recreational use through a citizen-initiated referendum known as “Maine Question 1” in 2016.

This ballot issue divided Maine to the point of costly campaigns, multiple elections and plenty of mud-slinging to go around.

Rather than discourse and democratic process, Mainers were met by a barrage of campaign commercials and fliers debating the issue without really discussing it. To be sure, there were television debates and public forums in towns and cities across Maine, but these typically involved moderators asking political proponents and opponents questions submitted by the public.

At no time do I remember any elected officials — and especially those at the top level — coming to town to hear directly from the people who put them in office about such a polarizing issue. However, I do remember quite clearly commercials praising pot to fund education or warning about reefer madness.

Pennsylvania is big state with demographics that span it all — urban to rural, college town to cosmopolitan, at-risk to rich. Kudos to our state leaders for making the effort to give voice to all those who want their feelings heard about recreational marijuana, whether they’re for or against the measure.

Instead of allowing the issue to play out in political ads on television or in newspapers, Fetterman and Wolf’s administration are encouraging discussion among Pennsylvanians. At the end of the day, isn’t that what democracy is all about — for the people, by the people?

— ALH