"If it were legalized in Pennsylvania and if I were in pain and my doctor prescribed it, then yes, absolutely I would," Arlen Specter said yesterday when I asked if he would use medical marijuana himself, to help combat his cancer.

When I asked if he would consider sparking up without it being legalized, I'd swear there was a brief smile before the senator said he was "certainly not about to say I would violate the law. Several years ago, early in his battle with cancer, Specter told me that he had considered introducing legislation supporting medical marijuana so I followed up yesterday as the Pennsylvania powerhouse addressed the Daily News Editorial Board on local, national and international affairs.

Specter's been bumping elbows with many more people lately. It's his new greeting as he can't shake hands for fear of germs while fighting cancer, of which he has completed eight of 12 rounds of chemotherapy.