Tim Garon - Denied A Transplant Because Of Medical Marijuana Use

[Jim Behr]

Tim Garon lies in his hospital bed as his girlfriend, Leisa Bueno,
leans over to give him a kiss while they wait to hear if he will be
put on a transplant list on Thursday, April 24, 2008, in Seattle.

Medical marijuana user dies without transplant
Story Published: May 1, 2008 at 9:02 PM PDT
Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 7:16 PM PDT
By Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) - A musician who was denied a liver transplant because he used marijuana with medical approval under Washington state law to ease the symptoms of advanced hepatitis C died Thursday.

The death of Timothy Garon, 56, at Bailey-Boushay House, an intensive care nursing center was confirmed to The Associated Press by his lawyer, Douglas Hiatt, and Alisha Mark, a spokeswoman for Virginia Mason Medical Center, which operates Bailey-Boushay.

Dr. Brad Roter, the physician who authorized Garon to smoke pot to alleviate for nausea and abdominal pain and to stimulate his appetite, said he did not know it would be such a hurdle if Garon were to need a transplant.

The case has highlighted a new ethical consideration for those allocating organs for transplant, especially in the dozen states that have medical marijuana laws: When dying patients need a transplant, should it be held against them if they've used pot with a doctor's blessing?

Garon died a week after his doctor told him a University of Washington Medical Center committee had again denied him a spot on the liver transplant list because of his use of marijuana, although it was authorized under Washington state law.

"He said I'm going to die with such conviction," Garon told an AP reporter at the time. "I'm not angry, I'm not mad, I'm just confused."

Garon believes he contracted hepatitis C by sharing needles with "speed freaks" as a teenager. In recent years, he said, pot has been the only drug he's used. In December, he was arrested for growing marijuana.

He had been in the hospice for two months and previously was rejected for a transplant at Swedish Medical Center for the same reason he later got from the university hospital.

Swedish said he would be considered if he avoided pot for six months and the university hospital offered to reconsider if he enrolled in a 60-day drug treatment program, but doctors said his liver disease was too advanced for him to last that long. The university hospital committee agreed to reconsider anyway, then denied him again.

Source

[Weed420]

I was really surprised with the UW's stance on this. They tend to be a very liberal hospital. Its a shame. But thats why we need more legitimate research of this substance and just not demonizing.

[BWC BayArea]

The case has highlighted a new ethical consideration for those allocating organs for transplant, especially in the dozen states that have medical marijuana laws: When dying patients need a transplant, should it be held against them if they've used pot with a doctor's blessing?

This is bullshit!!! I remember a case within the last 8 years where a California prisoner received a life saving heart transplant (at the expense of taxpayers) when there were several taxpayers that were denied the same procedure. I just think this is absurd. How long must this continue? What, does a presidential or political figure or family member have to be thrust in this type of situation to bring about the type of change that was supposed to be guaranteed under the Declaration of Independence? It seems like this>

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

is only remembered when convenient. Don't know why I'm surprised. The acceptance of legal slavery and racial segregation were the 1st indicators of this BS in the U.S. This is utterly sickening. Hypocrisy at its finest.

[Weed420]

I have a sister in law thats about to be put in the same position. She was on prescription pain killers for 25 years for serious back injuries and they've killed her liver. She's repalced most of the prescriptions with MMJ for the last 2 years. And it looks like she's going to have to get a transplant now. I've told her she's going to have to get off the MMJ or she won't be allowed a transplant. A real shame that while killer drugs are just fine for transplant patients, natural growing herbs are not.

[merickson]

Does the body processing MJ stress the liver?