Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)Sick: LA Hospital Denies Life-Saving Organ Transplant to Medical Pot User (Again) [View all]
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/155894/sick%3A_la_hospital_denies_life-saving_organ_transplant_to_medical_pot_user_%28again%29/Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles has for the second time in the past year denied a life-saving organ transplant to a patient because of her medical marijuana use, Americans for Safe Access reported this week. The hospital removed qualified medical marijuana patient Toni Trujillo from its kidney transplant list earlier this year, citing her medical marijuana use.
Trujillo has had kidney problems most of her life and has been on dialysis for the past five years, since an earlier transplanted kidney began failing. She came to California from Pennsylvania two years ago to take advantage of specialized treatment offered at Cedars-Sinai. She explained that to her physician at Cedars that she used medical marijuana as an appetite stimulant to increase her protein levels -- a critical need for dialysis patients -- and got no negative feedback.
She continued to use medical marijuana while awaiting her transplant. Then, in April, after being on a waiting list for six years, Trujillo was told over the phone that she had been de-listed because her medical marijuana use was considered "substance abuse." She was never sent a formal de-listing letter, confirming her status.
"Denying necessary transplants to medical marijuana patients is the worst kind of discrimination," said ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford, who authored a letter to Cedars-Sinai urging the hospital to reconsider. "Cedars-Sinai would not be breaking any laws, federal or otherwise, by granting Toni Trujillo a kidney transplant, and it's certainly the ethical thing to do."
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
100 replies, 8812 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (40)
ReplyReply to this post
100 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Sick: LA Hospital Denies Life-Saving Organ Transplant to Medical Pot User (Again) [View all]
xchrom
Jun 2012
OP
MMJ prescribed by a doctor is no more substance abuse than hydrocodone prescribed by a doctor
nashville_brook
Jun 2012
#46
Did you read the link? The description of the other patient's experience is more clear.
Gormy Cuss
Jun 2012
#12
I agree with that, it's hard to argue that marijuana is worse than chemo drugs
HotRodTuna
Jun 2012
#25
I understand that transplant teams work hard at limiting the donors to the most compliant
Gormy Cuss
Jun 2012
#17
These people SUPPORT the War on Drugs. All these cutesy excuses are made up after-the-fact. nt
Romulox
Jun 2012
#96
I'm glad you approve of a system that pretends medical marijuana is an excuse to murder people.
phleshdef
Jun 2012
#27
My sister just got a kidney/liver double transplant in February. As the major member of her family
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#18
Could the hospital face a penalty if they went ahead with the transplant?
Freddie Stubbs
Jun 2012
#19
Yes. The national governing agencies that regulate organ donation could create problems
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#22
LOL. There's a perfectly *rational* explanation for all of this, people. She *signed a contract*!
Romulox
Jun 2012
#30
I don't support the Drug War, not in any way shape or form. Never have, never will.
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#42
Right. All that business about your confusion regarding Vicodin's "similarity" to pot?
Romulox
Jun 2012
#52
It was an analogy, nothing more. Your blatant lying about my positions is duly noted.
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#55
"Analogy" isn't a fancy way of saying "false". What you said was objectively *false*. nt
Romulox
Jun 2012
#57
Demonstrably patently untrue. I absolutely have never said pot is addictive. Ever.
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#59
You use the word "analogy" like it means "mulligan". You were wrong, and contrive excuses instead
Romulox
Jun 2012
#63
She's been on the list for 6 years, on dialysis for 5 years. I'm pretty sure she's not in danger
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#70
The "expert" rears her head again! But this time, she's serving a heaping dose of "compassion". nt
Romulox
Jun 2012
#71
Its in the OP, you too can be as much of an expert on this woman's case as me. Just read it.
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#74
i have a conflict with the local very popular childrens hospital--they have lots of fund raisers in
dembotoz
Jun 2012
#34
I'm seriously considering withdrawing my donor status, due to the disgusting abuses of the system...
Romulox
Jun 2012
#39
David Crosby, Larry Hagman, Mickey Mantle, Dick Cheney. Also granted organs based on an "objective"
Romulox
Jun 2012
#54
You are propagating dangerous and destructive myths. Please. Just stop.
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#56
LOL. The corruption in the system isn't the problem--it's *TALKING ABOUT IT* that's dangerous.
Romulox
Jun 2012
#58
Oh please talk about it all you want so we can continue to correct you. nt
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#61
You *just* claimed ignorance of the particulars of these cases, and then demanded I "stop".
Romulox
Jun 2012
#62
I've never put myself out there as an expert. Just someone with first hand experience
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#67
I said I didn't have the "exact particulars" of their cases (not ignorance). Neither do you.
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#72
You could've googled each one of these cases 10 times over, if you were looking for facts.
Romulox
Jun 2012
#73
Innocuous items like candy are on the prohibited substances list for potential transplant patients
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#75
Right. There is a "perfect" explanation for letting this woman die. It's all "by the book". nt
Romulox
Jun 2012
#76
It IS all by the book. Exactly the point. Exactly. And she doesn't HAVE to die if she'd follow
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#81
And you still have failed to speak to organ transplant abuse, which is what this subthread is about.
Romulox
Jun 2012
#77
So...Dick Cheney COULDN'T have received that heart transplant, eh? Your argument is with reality. nt
Romulox
Jun 2012
#84
I don't know the exact particulars of Dick Cheney's medical record. Neither do you.
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#88
Actually I'm not alone on this. There are others right on this very thread
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#98
it most certainly is. And the appeals to emotion have little to do with that set criteria
LanternWaste
Jun 2012
#89
No MJ at all when you're on a transplant list. Even eating certain candy will get you chucked off
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#83
I didn't make the protocols for the transplant list. Feel free to email UNOS for that. nt
riderinthestorm
Jun 2012
#86