The Heartlessness of Dying for Prohibition

Discussion in 'Cannabis Activism' started by DdC, Apr 29, 2013.

  1. DdC

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    Denied a Liver Transplant for Using Medical Marijuana,
    and Dying for It -- The Heartlessness of Prohibition

    CC: By Matthew Donigian, AlterNet - April 24 2013

    The tragic fate of Norman B. Smith is all you need to know about to see how senseless it is to make consumption of marijuana a crime.

    After being diagnosed with liver cancer in 2009, Norman B. Smith applied to the liver transplant list at Cedar-Sinai hospital. While waiting for a transplant, Mr. Smith underwent chemotherapy in an attempt to destroy the cancer eating away at his liver. This caused severe side-effects, common to many cancer patients. In an attempt to curb the pain, and on the recommendation of his oncologist, Mr. Smith began using medical marijuana.

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    Cannabis has become increasingly common as a medicine of choice for patients undergoing chemotherapy, since it increases appetite and reduces pain—minimizing the chance of a patient developing cancer related wasting syndrome. Finally, in September of 2010, Mr. Smith was notified that he was eligible for a liver transplant and was placed on the liver transplant list. Mr. Smith continued his treatment and submitted to drug testing per the hospital's transplant list policy. After testing positive for THC (one of the active chemicals in marijuana), Mr. Smith was taken off the transplant list and denied a life saving procedure. Mr. Smith died because of this. It did not matter to the hospital that Mr. Smith's marijuana use was non-recreational, and was approved by his oncologist as a way to treat his chemotherapy side effects.

    This story is a more common than one might think. While working at NORML I received a call from a 19 year-old medical marijuana patient who had a rare liver cancer. This patient tried everything to control the pain and nausea that plagued her everyday. Pills, healthy foods, acupuncture. . . nothing worked. In fact, many of the prescription drugs given to her by her doctor either worsened her nausea or caused other severe side-effects. Finally, she tried medical marijuana, which her oncologist said might be a good option if she could find a reliable source. She tried it, and it worked.

    After hearing about Mr. Smith, she became terrified that her marijuana use might jeopardize her chances of getting a new liver. How could this be possible? "I want my liver transplant, but I can't imagine living without my medicine, it would be too painful". Unfortunately, due to patient confidentiality laws, it is impossible to know how many people like Mr. Smith there are. But the number will continue to grow as marijuana continues to become an accepted treatment for cancer related pain and nausea. These are the human costs of the war on drugs.

    - Read the entire article at AlterNet.

    When leaders act contrary to conscience

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ctrx9C6FYk"]NORML Update: Washington, DC Vigil for the Victims of the Drug War - YouTube
     

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