Prescribed pot users face transplant hurdles

Proof of abstinence
Pro-marijuana groups have cited a handful of cases, including at least two patient deaths, in Oregon and California, since the mid-to-late 1990s, when states began adopting medical marijuana laws.

Many doctors agree that using marijuana — smoking it, especially — is out of the question post-transplant.

The drugs patients take to help their bodies accept a new organ increase the risk of aspergillosis, a frequently fatal infection caused by a common mold found in marijuana and tobacco.

But there's little information on whether using marijuana is a problem before the transplant, said Dr. Emily Blumberg, an infectious disease specialist who works with transplant patients at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital.

Further complicating matters, Blumberg said, is that some insurers require proof of abstinence, such as drug tests, before they'll agree to pay for transplants.

Dr. Jorge Reyes, a liver transplant surgeon at the UW Medical Center, said that while medical marijuana use isn't in itself a sign of substance abuse, it must be evaluated in the context of each patient.

"The concern is that patients who have been using it will not be able to stop," Reyes said.

'Least habit-forming'
Dale Gieringer, state coordinator for the California chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, scoffed at that notion.

"Everyone agrees that marijuana is the least habit-forming of all the recreational drugs, including alcohol," Gieringer said. "And unlike a lot of prescription medications, it's nontoxic to the liver."

Reyes and other UW officials declined to discuss Garon's case.

But Reyes said that in addition to medical concerns, transplant committees — which often include surgeons, social workers, and nutritionists — must evaluate whether patients have the support and psychiatric health to cope with a complex post-operative regimen for the rest of their lives.

Garon, the lead singer for Nearly Dan, a Steely Dan cover-band, remains charged with manufacturing weed. He insists he was following the state law, which limits patients to a "60-day supply" but doesn't define that amount.

"He's just a fantastic musician, and he's a great guy," said his girlfriend, Liesa Bueno. "I wish there was something we could do legally. ... I'm going to miss him terribly if he passes."

More from msnbc.com   Analysis: No sign yet of a bottom in home prices   Showdown over carrying guns in national parks NBC/WSJ Poll: Voters back Obama, warily Can I use regular gas instead of premium? Long-distance commuters take road to nowhere

MORE FROM HEALTH CARE

Health care Section Front

Fentanyl deaths topped 1,000 over two years N.J. licenses to require organ donation decision Health officials back paperless prescriptions Singapore may pay donors for kidneys Pills to pillows: When to toss them Family sues for muscular dystrophy drug Surgeons taking kidneys through the navel ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ hospital to be torn down Health insurance caps leave patients stranded Hospital bullies take a toll on patient safety Health care Section Front   Add Health care headlines to your news reader: