cannabisnews.com: MMJ User Dies for Lack of Liver Transplant MMJ User Dies for Lack of Liver Transplant Posted by CN Staff on May 02, 2008 at 05:11:51 PT Local News Source: Seattle Times Seattle, WA -- 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: Seattle Times (WA)Published: Friday, May 2, 2008Copyright: 2008 The Seattle Times CompanyContact: opinion seatimes.comWebsite: http://www.seattletimes.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #13 posted by OverwhelmSam on May 03, 2008 at 13:21:13 PT You Bastards! Hope, you've hit upon something that needs to be restated. I won't cheapen it in any way, I'll just quote you, "It's dangerous because there are supposedly "good and righteous" people who will kill you over it... in all kinds of ways."...in all kinds of ways." Wow, so elequently stated. Thank you.Those Bastards! [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Toker00 on May 02, 2008 at 18:58:55 PT War is over if you want it.. Stop the War on the patientsWho use an herb that makes them well.Stop the War on CannabisHelp keep our Children out of jail.Stop the Wars of the World,Stop all the Wars of the World.Stop the War of Religion,Over there in the Middle East.Stop the War that is raging,On Liberty here in our streets.Stop the Wars of the World,Stop all the Wars of the World.Stop the War on the Races,No one's above their fellow man.Stop the Wars of the Fascists,Who want to Globalize our Land.Stop the Wars of the World,Stop all the Wars of the World.Stop the War of Terror,You can't control what someone believes.Stop the War of Errors,Iraq had no WMDs.Stop the Wars of the World,Stop all the Wars of the World.Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by legalizeit on May 02, 2008 at 18:47:46 PT Blood on their hands The Hippocratic Oath, which all doctors must swear to, ends with, "If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot."The doctors on that committee served as judge, jury and executioner for this person. They may be all smug and pious now, but karma has a way with "people" like them...How many more will have to die before this lunatic, obsessive war on a plant is over? [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on May 02, 2008 at 15:33:10 PT Correction: Medical Marijuana-Death Story May 2, 2008AP -- In a May 1 story about the death of Timothy Garon, The Associated Press reported erroneously that a doctor had told Garon the previous week that he had been denied placement on a liver-transplant list due to his use of medical marijuana. According to Garon's family and lawyer, the doctor did not give a reason for the denial. Also, the story erroneously reported that Garon had previously been told by Swedish Medical Center that he needed to abstain from marijuana for six months before he could be placed on a transplant list. That condition was imposed by Harborview Medical Center. Copyright: 2008 Associated Presshttp://www.kgw.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D90DNSPO0.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by mykeyb420 on May 02, 2008 at 14:05:51 PT Man swallows 60 hash condoms, dies Now, this WILL be spun into " Hash KILLS" ,,I can see it now. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by The GCW on May 02, 2008 at 12:23:42 PT Man swallows 60 hash condoms, dies Man swallows 60 hash condoms, diesJAKARTA, Indonesia — An Australian man who swallowed 60 condoms stuffed with hashish has died in hospital in southern Thailand, Thai police said.John Paul Jones, 51, from Queensland, went to a hospital in Surat Thani on April 11 complaining of severe stomach pains. An X-ray revealed 60 mysterious packages in his stomach, which turned out to be hash.Police said he had intended to sell the drugs at a beach party in the resort of Ko Phangan.Three of the condoms burst, fatally damaging his colon and liver, Thai media quoted doctors as saying.The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra said Jones, who was charged while in the hospital with possession of drugs, died of internal infections.http://www.boulderweekly.com/?site_id=619&id_sub=20760&page_id=20760&pagenum=14 [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by runruff on May 02, 2008 at 10:56:37 PT: We are civilized, because we are nation of laws!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by The GCW on May 02, 2008 at 08:41:48 PT US NJ: Edu: Editorial: Medical Marijuana Mix-Up US NJ: Edu: Editorial: Medical Marijuana Mix-UpDaily Targum http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n449/a02.html?397In a quintessential exercise in bureaucratic hypocrisy, the University of Washington Medical Center decided Thursday to deny a liver transplant to Timothy Garon, a 56-year old musician suffering from hepatitis C, because he was found to have used medically prescribed marijuana to ease his abdominal pains. Cont. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by HempWorld on May 02, 2008 at 08:36:53 PT Pot does not kill, but if you use it, we will kill you!Makes perfect sense doesn't it? (We will get these goddamn hippies one way or another, damn it) On a mission from God! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Hope on May 02, 2008 at 08:22:31 PT Seriousness of it all... It's been very clear to me for a very long time. I get their "message".It's dangerous to smoke pot. It's dangerous because there are supposedly "good and righteous" people who will kill you over it... in all kinds of ways. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by OverwhelmSam on May 02, 2008 at 07:42:55 PT And Yet, Another Motivation To campaign and vote against the trash in our elected law enforcement positions, judges, prosecutors, federal and state legislators. Together at the voting booth, we can make a change. Local changes happen faster, city, county and state. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on May 02, 2008 at 07:17:32 PT scary this is the creepiest part:"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."So 1984! If you submit to re-education, we will cure you. Otherwise, go die. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by yanxor on May 02, 2008 at 05:49:56 PT =[ How awful The feds will probably try to use this to show that marijuana kills.Or at least leads the feds to kill you.Rest in peace Mr. Garon. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment