norml11 - Page 38

 3. Or. Merritt's experience with glaucoma patients using marijuana
 medicinally includes one Robert Randall and, insofar as the evidence here
 establishes per petitioners' briefs, an unspecified number of other patients, -
 something in excess of 40
 o
 i
 ' 4. Dr. _ortlh has treated only one g]aucoma patient using marijuana
 medicir, ally - the same Robert Randall mentioned immediately :above. Dr. North
 had monitored Mr. Randall as medicinal use of marijuana for nine years as of May
 1987.
 5. Dr. Merritt has accepted marijuana as having an _mportant place in
 the treatment of "End Stage" glaucoma. "End Stage" glaucoma, essentiaily,
 defines a patient who has already lost substantial amounts of vision; available
 glaucoma control drugs are no longer able adequately to reduce the _ntraocular
 pressure (lOP) to prevent further, progressive sight loss; the patient, lacking
 additional _OP reductions, will go blind_
 6_ Robert S. HopPer, M.Do, _s a h#gh_y qualified and experienced
 ophtha]mologisto He has done research w_th respect to the effect of smoking
 marijuana on glaucoma. In December 1975 he prescribed marijuana, for the same
 Robert Randall mentioned above as a research subject. Or. Hep]er found that
 large dosages of smoked marijuana effectively reduced Robert Randall's lOP into
 the safe range over an entire test day. He concluded that the only known
 alternative to preserve Randa11's s_ght which would avoid the significant risks
 of surgery is to-include marijuana as part of Randall's prescribed medical
 regimen. He further conc'_uded _n 1977 that, ]f marijuana could have been
 legally prescribed, he would have prescribed _t for Randall as part of Randa]]'s
 regular glaucoma maintenance program had he been Randa]l's personal physician.
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