vol1 - Page 258

 In an insightful dialogue during cross=examination
 o, Ms. Shirley asks Dr_ MeZTitte _Why do you consider [marijuana] te
 be a last resort drug? w Dr_ Merritt replies:
 Because I think that given the fact that we
 get a lot of the patients controlled_
 pressure and fields on. other medications
 • ..2 that before I would advocate using as a
 primary drug cannabis_ I would first like to
 start with small doses of the beta biocker_
 and then add the small doses of the myotics°
 Ms_ Shirley asks_ _Why is that? n Dr. Merritt responds:
 Because we have to go through the IND process
 to [obtain marijuana_ we have to go through
 a lot of government hassle _-
 _Shirley: If marijuana was aw_ilable for use
 ' in the general population todays would you
 still consider it to be a last resort drug?
 Merritt: No_ because there would be certain
 people that X would start them on [marijuana]
 at the initial treatment .... [interrupted
 ,_:: by counsel]
 Dialogue resumes:
 Shirley: If [marijuana] were available for
 prescription to the general populations would
 you still consider it to be a last resort
 _: drug in your general treatment of the
 population of glaucoma patients?
 Merritt: Nor X would consider [marijuana] in
 some patients to be the first treatment
 Shirley: How would you determine which
 patients should start on the drug first,
 marijuana?
 Merritt: A 3S-year old, highly pigmented
 :< male, with juvenile open angle glaucoma
 . o ° would be started on cannabis prior to
 piiocarpine as the initial dr_g.
 __y__/ (...continued)
 _, believe -- fear that marijuana's Schedule I classification denies
 them the . . . right to practice medicine. #
 C _
 J