A New Wind A-Blowin' for Medical Marijuana?

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters Wednesday that federal law-enforcement officials will no longer go after providers of marijuana that's used for medicinal purposes in the 13 states in which medical marijuana is legal unless that service is just a front for unlawful activities.

That announcement will no doubt be welcomed by those who advocate for pot's use in providing relief to people suffering from such diseases as cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.

My state doesn't happen to be one of those that sanctions medical marijuana. But as a person with MS, I got to wondering whether pot would be worth my seeking out -- if it were legally available, that is.

Turns out the case for medical marijuana's alleviating MS symptoms is not clear-cut. The National MS Society notes that, while marijuana may help reduce spasticity and control pain in people with MS, it may also have negative effects, on balance, for instance.

Moreover, the MS Society points out that it's hard to conduct a legitimate clinical trial testing marijuana's safety and efficacy because trial participants always know whether they've been given pot or placebo: People tend to notice when they've smoked something that makes them high, the society says, and that knowledge skews results.

I don't begrudge anyone their use of medical marijuana if their state says it's okay. But for my part, I'd just as soon have society shift its focus toward, say, making my mainstream MS drug more affordable. If I didn't have insurance I'd be paying more than $30,000 a year for my daily injections.

That would sure buy a lot of pot. If buying pot were legal, that is.