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 Federal F_Ismt / Vd _o Nee _9 / Friday December 29. _989 / Notices 53_
 •vu_ered from postural hypote_Ion ptusu_ continue for longer periods of glaucoma patlent_ As noted above,
 (reduction in blood preHurs upon three fol]owh_ admh_Istration of either there has been no documentatlon that
 standing]; 18 suffered from sen_ _raolol. pil_xpLne, or phoepho]ine marijuana use preserves the visual
 |alterations Including hunger, thine, iodide+ thgn foilcw_8 administration of funcfiun of 81aucomatosa individuals
 euphoria, drowsiness and ahl]i_; Rud smoked _arl]ua_ Because acute etudes have shown that
 nine suffered from cunjunctiv_ 52. No evidence was introduced tu marijuana appears to act by Iowenng
 hyperemia and ptosis (drooping upper this proceedh_ from states w_ch have intraocu_ar pressure and blood pressure
 eyetld) Sesed on the side effect, the scient_fic pretocole for researching concomitant|y, there is some concern
 researchers concluded that "It ia mariiusna's effect _ the treatment of Lhat lowering Lhe blood pressure lhnits
 because of the frequency and _verIW 8Iaueomao In _t_. _e Calitor_da the blood supply to the optic nerve°
 wRh wl_h untoward events counted Reeea_h Advisory Cc_uufltee reported Since the optic nerve re_es on a
 tha_ m_r_iu_a tzthaiaflon ie not _ ideal the results of its research protocul in thi_ constant _upply of blood to function
 therapeutic modesty for glaucoma ares which covered ody the use of THC adequately, there is a concern that by
 patients°" A total of no more th_ SO Only one fndi_dua] received mer_ju_e reducir_g its blood supply by lowering
 8laucom_tose individuals have been cigarettes for glaucoma. THe was _fter systemic blood pressure, visunl function
 administ_d smoked marl_uana _ a the Research Ad_sory Panel m_a_ wild be hut her hnpaired in _laucomatose
 research so,thug, h tfo_mat_un about the program to indlvldua]so
 Approxh_ate|y 40 of these indlvidua_e ophthalraologtats throughout the State of _o Based on the |ack of docurnenta_
 received mari|uana during limited acute Californi_ Rhode Island reported that ZS evidence _howin8 its utility m lowering
 Lrla|e of the drug° The progress of the ophthaL_olo_s_s in that state were introac'.da_ pressure ia the |ong-term
 other individuals, who included _ober_ contacted to determine _ they had any and maintaining vieuM function, coapled
 l_ndall and other hndiv_duals who used interest h_ conducting research with with the adverse side effects associated
 mar_iu_a in conjunction with their mariluena Non_ of the ophthaL_olo_ls_ with its use, most expe_ agree that
 convenflonM glaucoma madications_ contacted responded affirmatively. _moked m_juana has not been proven
 were never published since they only Tho_e who responded to the inquiry to be a v_ab_e drug for the treatment _f
 involved anecdotal observations, claimed that the drags which were glaucoma° These medical and scientific
 pro_diag insz_fficient data to report c_renfly available su_i_enfly experts include: Marie Perez-Reyes,
 which would be usehd for other controlled glaucoma. MoD_ (a source often cited by NORML
 ophthahnolog_ets in _eathag patients C3 Acute adn_inisttetion of mar_uana and ACT); Robert Hepler M Do: Keith
 with glaucoma, has demons_ated unecceptabla Green, PhoD.; George Spaeth0 M.D._ Leo
 SO. In 1976, Dr. Mane Perez-Reyes negative slde effects in r_se_rch Hollister, _D.; Reese _ones, M.D._ _und
 reported the resul_ of his p_]imi_a_ sublects participating in glaucoma Raphael Mechoulam, Ph.D. L_ additlon_
 study of acute intravenous studies. These side effects Include h_ previously published arflcles_ John
 admh_isttation of various _mnabtnolds orthostatic hypoter_ion, tachycar|:L_, Merritt, M D, a witness for ACT, has
 on in_ao_ular p_ssur_. Twelve nor_l, con]unctival hyperemia, euphoria, taken the position that marijuana s use
 nonglaucomatose patients were injected dysphotia, drowsiness, in _ating glaucoma is unacceptable
 with a variety of cannabinoids w_ch depersonalization, diff_c_ty _n because of the frequent and untoward
 are present in marijuana; the concentrating and thL_kLng, Lmpairment
 canaablnolds were edmlntstered of motor coordh_ation. Since the chop in side effects'associated wRh |t_ use.
 in_vidually so that the effects could be intrao_lar pressure after smoking Also the American Academy of
 evnluated separately He concluded that marijuana noted in acute studies las_ Ophthalmol¢_y, an or_anizatiun which
 several of the c_rmablnelds had for approximately four to flv_ hour_ represents more than I,?,000 physi_an
 Intraocul_ pressure lowering q_lities, With the maximal fRI] occutrtn8 abou_ raembers and approximately 6,000 other
 tncluding delta-a-te_ahydrocaP_nabinoL one to two hour_ after edminla_zat_on, to medical professiunal_ who specialize
 which is less psychoactive than THC, be considered _ treating glaucoma, the fie|d of ophthalmology, has taken the
 THC appear_ to be the most effective marijuana would have to be position that insufficient date exists to
 c_nnabinoid for acutely reduclng administered six to eight times per day demonstrate the safety and efficacy of
 intraocular pressure, but _s also _e most for the duration of diseased _uch use using smoked marijuana in the
 psychoactive. AIthou_h marliuana, constitutes chronic e_ini_ttation of the _eat_ent of glaucoma° The National
 which consists of various cennabinoide, dr_._. The nega_ve effects of chronic Academy of Sciences, another source
 would have a different effect on eye administration cf marijuana have not frequently cited by NORML and ACT_
 pressure then one of its single been adequately tested. Yet_ _peciflc also concluded that smoking marijuana
 constitnents, the literature indicates that uaacceptable negative effects can be is not suitabIe for the treatment of
 the effect would either be the same or attributed to ahrsnic edministrat_on of 81aucoma.
 less. m_ri_uana. _eee include: possible brain _o Multiple Sclerosis (MS} is the
 S0. There are no publlehed sole_tiflc dexaage, sore fi'_a_ rhlrAtis, bronchitis major cause of neurological disability
 or medical reports which evaluate end emphysema; suppression of among young and middle-aged adults, It
 marlJuana's ability to preserve the lutsL_i_ng horraona secretion in women is a life-_ca_ disease which attacks the
 visual function of 81auc_mato_ (which affect the production of myelin sheath (the coating surrounding
 individuals, progesterone]; abnormalities _ DNA the message-carrying nerve fibers in the
 _'L None of the _ reports or studies synthesi_ r_Atosts and _row_; brain and spinal cord}, Once the myelin
 submitted in this processing have carclnogenic_ty: and genetic mutations sheath is destroyed, it is replaced by
 compared marijuana s effectiveness in S4o While m_udiuana plant materi_ plaques of hardened tissue known as
 lowering intzaoouls_ presage and and some car_nabinolds have been sclerosls The plaques can obstruct
 prsservin8 visual f_,mction to any of the shown to |ower in_aocular pressure in impulses along the nerve systems which
 currently accepted glaucoma acutelyotreated normal human will produce malfunctions in the body
 medications. Although not proven volunteers and glaucoma patients, it parts affected by the damaged nervous
 through comparative studies, it is may lower Lntraocular pressure without system. The symptoms can include one
 accepted that reduction_ in intraocu_ar preventLu_ visual h_pah_ment in or a combina_on of the following: