Man's death fuels transplant debate

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-transplantmay22,0,4806384.story

Medical marijuana users denied organs

By Stuart Glascock | Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

10:41 PM CDT, May 21, 2008

SEATTLE — Should using doctor-prescribed marijuana be a deal-breaker for someone needing an organ transplant? It is not a theoretical question, but a pressing and emotional one confronting hospitals and patients in states where medical use of marijuana is legal.

Timothy Garon, 56, a Seattle musician, died May 1 after being turned down for a liver transplant, in part because he used medical marijuana. Now, a second critically ill patient in Washington state says he has been denied a spot in two organ transplant programs because he uses doctor-prescribed marijuana.

Jonathon Simchen, 33, of Fife is a diabetic whose kidneys and pancreas have failed. He said he was booted out of the transplant program at Seattle's Virginia Mason hospital because he admitted using medical marijuana, and then the University of Washington Medical Center transplant officials refused him as well.

"I'm just so discouraged," said Simchen, a community college student and would-be teacher. "I've lost all remnants of hope. I look at my life right now as if it is a prison term. I just have to serve each day."

Now we're even sentencing people to death.

Go figure

That was 13 years ago and it seems to have worked out ok despite his previous substance abuse. Thankfully, the transplanted liver wasn't aware of the Federal drug law.