Medical marijuana and ankylosing spondylitis

I haven't really heard about using marijuana to treat the symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis. Like glucosamine and going to the chiropractor, it's one of the things that well-meaning, uninformed and generally batty people ask about when they're trying to be helpful. And, years ago, I stumbled across a web site by an AS sufferer who'd taken to the weed to deal with his (extremely severe) case. At any rate, from what I've heard, and thanks to the years-long debate about the subject, I've heard plenty, I got the impression that there could well be some benefit in terms of pain relief.

(That's a long way from saying that toking up is the answer, as opposed to a dose of Marinol: as with industrial hemp advocacy, I'm a little suspicious that medical marijuana is being used as a stalking horse for people who are primarly keen on getting themselves baked. To which I say, fill your boots, or your bongs, rather; but let's be honest about motives.)

Anyway, I found it interesting that yesterday's feature in the Denver Post on the court battle over the U.S. federal ban on medical marijuana (also reprinted in the Baltimore Sun) profiled a university professor with AS who is one of 625 registered medical-marijuana users in Colorado, and who says he can't imagine living without it.