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Is Medical-Marijuana Use Reason to Deny Someone An Organ Transplant?

Health & Wellness (tags: organ transplant, medical marijuana )

In a Mirr
- 156 days ago - seattletimes.nwsource.com

The death this week of a musician who said he was denied a liver transplant because of his medical-marijuana use has highlighted a new ethical consideration: Should pot use with a doctor's blessing be held against a dying patient who needs an organ transp

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Comments

Lisa P. (1)

Sunday May 4, 2008, 11:29 am
This is a very interesting case. What is important to note is that the man was prescribed medical marijuana by his doctor. Afterwards this was used against him by the organ transplant committee. Definitely unfair and alarming.

Daniel Barker (36)

Sunday May 4, 2008, 7:11 pm
I know liberals are going to argue discrimination. Let's be realistic. Various drugs are addictive, destroy lives and families, and contribute to organized crime and corrupt governments.

This does not mean marijuana is included, and certainly tobacco and alcohol top the list even though they are legal.

What it does mean is a paradigm shift of awareness and persoanal responsibility before marijuana is accepted.

Two trains collided, killing many passengers. The engineer of the train at fault was under the influence of marijuana. Was that responsible for the accident? Would you submit to surgery if the surgeons were high?

When I was a civil servant I was a member of AFGE. One of the states of the federal union was that personal drug use was none of the employer's business if the drug use did not affect job performance.

It is obvious the hundreds of thousands of Americans incerated for drug use needs open frank discussion. What do you think?

Denise Tankha (15)

Sunday May 4, 2008, 7:52 pm
This is pure balderdash and people sitting in judgement. They should remember Jesus when he made the comment about throwing the first stone. When a human being is in need the Hypocratic oath demands that treatment be given. There can be no argument about the case.You're setting a horrible example fot the third world nations!

Dometria Lanauze (33)

Monday May 5, 2008, 12:05 pm
Shame on those who've denied this man of his right of free choice. I am appalled but unfortunately not surprised by this situation. The Medical Profession is laced with double standards and is easily manipulated by the federal Gov't directives, This is in direct opposition and an gross insult to the Codes of Hipprocates who required that those who studied under him know and use the medicinal properties of all Herbs, Marijuana included.Within THC, there exist 600 chemicals which correspond to 600 different areas of the Brain. This patient would have had a better chance of surviving this life-giving transplant while ingesting the herb than not.To give permission for him to smoke it, but deny him the right to grow and then demand he cease using it if he was to have the operation is not only bigoted and ludicrous but demonic. How dare they abuse their right to practice medicine. They have shown that the they are more interested in maintaining the gov't party line rather than being there for the patient's well-being . This is one of the Hippocratic Codes.Healing the patient comes first not political pressure. Power to those who continue to fight for their right to heal themselves naturally.