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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; James &#8220;Dimebag&#8221; Duffy carried a sack filled with old prescription bottles that once were filled with drugs that he said almost killed him.</p><p>&#8220;I smoke weed every single day,&#8221; Duffy told Lt. Gov. John Fetterman Sunday at Wilkes University. &#8220;Good people smoke pot.&#8221;</p><p>Duffy, who describes himself on his Facebook page as &#8220;a salty combat veteran and marijuana grower,&#8221; was one of about 40 Luzerne County residents who offered testimony at Fetterman&#8217;s public gathering, the latest in his statewide marijuana legalization listening tour.</p><p>More than 140 people attended the meeting to listen to their fellow county residents tell Fetterman how they feel about the controversial issue.</p><p>Of those in attendance, 90-plus percent were in favor of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana &#8212; that statistic came from a show of hands at the end of the presentation. A few people raised their hand when Fetterman asked who opposed the idea and one person indicated he remained undecided.</p><p>Fetterman&#8217;s statewide tour wraps up two weeks from Sunday in Philadelphia. At that time, Fetterman said all the findings will be compiled and released to Gov. Tom Wolf and the general public. From there, Fetterman said he can&#8217;t speculate on what the state Legislature would do.</p><p>Lawmakers and Gov. Tom Wolf authorized creation of a medical marijuana program in 2016. Support for changing the laws to allow recreational marijuana use seems to be growing among Democrats and Republicans, although it is not universal.</p><p>Traveling county-to-county, Fetterman is gathering input from Pennsylvanians about the possibility of legalizing recreational marijuana. He said most of the counties have had the same representation as was shown in Luzerne County &#8212; overwhelming support for the idea.</p><p>&#8220;Especially in the more urban counties,&#8221; Fetterman said, but added: &#8220;We were in Wyoming County yesterday and almost everyone there was opposed to it.&#8221;</p><p>Fetterman began Sunday&#8217;s gathering in the Henry Student Center second floor ballroom by thanking everyone for participating in &#8220;this really important conversation.&#8221; He said people on both sides of the argument are extremely passionate and they had offered excellent comments for the record.</p><p>&#8220;We want you to feel comfortable in sharing your views,&#8221; Fetterman said. &#8220;We have been given excellent feedback along this journey.&#8221;</p><p>Each person was give a minute and a half to two minutes to speak their minds. Those not wanting to speak were asked to fill out a comment card or to go online to express their views &#8212; more than 30,000 Pennsylvanians have participated so far.</p><p>&#8220;Today, we want to know where Luzerne County is on this issue,&#8221; Fetterman said.</p><p>State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, took time to thank those in attendance for commenting on what he called &#8220;a very complicated issue.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Testimony highlights</strong></p><p>&#8226; A senior citizen began the process by stating she was &#8220;100 percent opposed&#8221; to legalizing recreational use of marijuana and she said she opposed legalizing medical marijuana &#8212; something Fetterman said was very rare. &#8220;Much more research must be done,&#8221; she said. And if it is legalized, what are we going to do with those in jail on these charges?&#8221;</p><p>&#8226; Another opponent said in states where recreational use is legal, vehicular accidents and fatalities have risen significantly. He also expressed concern form people living in apartment buildings whose health would be endangered by &#8220;rising pot smoke&#8221; from tenants below them.</p><p>&#8226; A person who is &#8220;100 percent&#8221; in favor of legalization said more jobs would be created and he urged the responsible use of marijuana. He said a doctor once told him to stop smoking tobacco cigarettes, but &#8220;you can smoke as much marijuana as you want.&#8221; He said, &#8220;And I do.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226; One man said, &#8220;Sometimes problems happen. But pot doesn&#8217;t make them happen.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226; Another said, &#8220;Medical marijuana saved my life. I have my family back; I have my life back.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226; Stefanie Wolownik said she works in the alcohol and drug prevention area. She said where recreational marijuana use is legal, there is an increase in homelessness, violent crime, emergency room visits and DUIs.</p><p><strong>Other benefits/consequences expressed</strong></p><p>&#8226; Cost to purchase marijuana would go done.</p><p>&#8226; Marijuana has no side effects like alcohol.</p><p>&#8226; People could grow their own plants in their yards.</p><p>&#8226; Some people can&#8217;t tolerate it; violent crimes would increase.</p><p>&#8226; If legal, it can be controlled.</p><p>&#8226; No overdoses from marijuana use.</p><p>&#8226; Keep politics out of the process.</p><p>&#8226; Marijuana is a gateway drug that would lead to other drug usage.</p><p>&#8226; Smoking age should be at least 21.</p><p>&#8226; Medical marijuana is effective, but cost is too high.</p><p>&#8226; Most favored the responsible use of marijuana in moderation.</p><p>Shortly after Fetterman began his statewide tour, Gov. Tom Wolf thanked Pennsylvanians for their overwhelming response to the lieutenant governor&#8217;s effort and for completing an online feedback form to gauge interest in whether the state should consider legalizing adult-use recreational marijuana.</p><p>The governor&#8217;s correspondence office, which tracks the online form, noted that no other topic has received this level of response or interaction since the governor took office in 2015.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Lt. Gov. John Fetterman smiles during Sunday&#8217;s marijuana legalization listening tour stop at Wilkes University. At Fetterman&#8217;s right is state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_FETTERMAN-1-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Lt. Gov. John Fetterman smiles during Sunday&#8217;s marijuana legalization listening tour stop at Wilkes University. At Fetterman&#8217;s right is state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski. </caption0><photoCredit0>Zachary Allen | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_FETTERMAN-2-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Lt. Gov. John Fetterman listens during Sunday&#8217;s marijuana legalization listening tour stop at Wilkes University. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_FETTERMAN-2-2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Lt. Gov. John Fetterman listens during Sunday&#8217;s marijuana legalization listening tour stop at Wilkes University. </caption1><photoCredit1>Zachary Allen | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Lt. Gov. hears mostly support for recreational marijuana here</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle .</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Fetterman hears overwhelming support for legalizing recreational marijuana