Dying Man Denied Transplant for Using Medicinal Marijuana

Timothy Garon in Hospice Care with his girlfriend, Leisa Bueno - AP Photo/ElaineThompson

Timothy Garon is 56 years old and dying of liver failure. Without a liver transplant, he will die in a matter of days, but the University of Washington Medical Center has decided he is not a fit candidate for a possibly life-saving transplant. The reason? Garon used physician-prescribed medical marijuana to treat the symptoms of hepatitis C, the disease that is killing him.

He was prescribed medicinal marijuana by his doctor to relieve nausea and abdominal pain, and to stimulate his appetite. Neither doctor nor patient suspected that Garon's legally prescribed drug would have a negative effect on his chance for an organ transplant. But Garon has been denied the life-saving transplant by both Harborview and the University of Washington. Garon appealed the UW's decision, but was denied again late last week. The University did say they would reconsider their decision if Garon enrolled in a 60-day drug-treatment program, which must be incredibly helpful to a man who has been given days to live.