The war on drugs is insidious. A kidney patient in Maine has been taken off a transplant wait list for using medical marijuana, even though both the medical and recreational use of marijuana is legal in Maine.
Garry Godfrey has Alport Syndrome, a hereditary disease which causes renal failure at a young age. He suffers from debilitating pain, nausea, and anxiety, which he treats with medical marijuana. “I’ve tried so many pharmaceuticals and none of them worked, but the medical cannabis does,” he said. “It helps me function. It helps me take care of my kids.” “You should not be discriminated against for the type of medicine you choose,” he added.
Godfrey was put on Maine Medical Center’s kidney transplant list in 2003. In 2010, Maine Medical Center adopted a new policy that “prohibits transplant candidates from using marijuana, due to the risk of an invasive fungal infection known as Aspergillosis.” Godfrey says he was informed of the new policy and taken off the transplant list.
The hospital says that “once off marijuana, patients can requalify and get put back on the hospital’s wait list.” State lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit Maine hospitals from “rejecting transplant patients solely for using medical marijuana.” Godfrey even testified in support of the bill, which is now in committee.
It is a shame that using marijuana—even for medical reasons—may ruin your life. It is an outrage that it may cost you your life. Not, of course, because of the marijuana, but because of society’s reaction to the use of marijuana.
Let’s assume for a moment that the risk of infection is the sole reason that the hospital took Garry Godfrey off its kidney transplant list. Since I am not a physician, I will not comment on the risk of fungal infections or whether the hospital is telling the whole truth about marijuana. But let’s assume that the risk of infection is extremely high and it is really a bad idea for a kidney transplant patient to use marijuana. And let’s further assume that marijuana is not only perfectly legal, but has no stigma associated with its use.
Under these circumstances, what could possibly be wrong with this situation?
Plenty, and it has nothing to do with marijuana.
Mr. Godfrey has been waiting for a kidney since 2003. Why? Why can’t he just buy one from a willing donor or the family of a deceased individual? Because the federal government won’t let him. Why can’t some philanthropist just buy one from a willing donor or the family of a deceased individual? Again, because the federal government won’t let him.
In 1984, Congress passed the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) to outlaw the sale of body organs and established the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to facilitate the procurement of such organs. The program is administered by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), a non-profit organization.
According to the NOTA: “It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer any human organ for valuable consideration for use in human transplantation if the transfer affects interstate commerce.” The penalty is a fine of $50,000 or up to five years in prison, or both. The Senate Report accompanying NOTA stated that “human body parts should not be viewed as commodities.”
There are three things that need to be said about this.
First of all, overseeing the procurement of bodily organs is an unconstitutional and illegitimate function of government that could be handled entirely and more efficiently by the private sector on the free market.
Second, as Judge Napolitano wrote in It Is Dangerous to Be Right When the Government Is Wrong: The Case for Personal Freedom: “By preventing the buying and selling of organs, the government is making it extremely difficult to find sufficient organ donors because there are zero incentives to donate.”
Third, and most important, do you own your own body? If there is anything that the poorest man owns it is his own body. Anyone should be able to do what he wants with his own body as long as his activities are peaceful, his interactions are consensual, his associations are voluntary, and he doesn’t violate the personal or property rights of anyone else. And if you own your own body, then you certainly also own the organs in your body.
If you can’t use the medicine you want without the government’s permission, then you don’t own your own body, the government does. If you can’t ingest any substances you want without the government’s permission, then you don’t own your own body, the government does. If you can’t sell any part of your own body without the government’s permission, then you don’t own your body, the government does. If you can’t do what you wish with your own body without the government’s permission, then you don’t own your own body, the government does.
In a free society, your body belongs to you—not the government. But Americans don’t live in a free society, do they?
#1: misterwhite To: Deckard (#0)
So what's the problem here? Is this guy addicted to marijuana to the point he can't stop even if it means he might die?
"And if you own your own body, then you certainly also own the organs in your body."
Yep. Go ahead and put your organs up for sale. Nothing illegal about that.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-04 10:08:44 Reply Private Reply
#2: sneakypete To: Deckard (#0)
sneakypete posted on 2017-04-04 10:54:22 Reply Private Reply
#3: Gatlin To: All (#0)
So, why in the Hell is this news....now?
Gatlin posted on 2017-04-04 11:03:24 Reply Private Reply
#4: sneakypete To: misterwhite (#1)
Marijuana isn't addictive,you dummy.
It's only on the proscribed list because of ignorant fools like you who are desperately afraid that somebody,somewhere is having a good time without your permission.
sneakypete posted on 2017-04-04 11:14:03 Reply Private Reply
#5: sneakypete To: Gatlin (#3)
Ok,bubba,name the health risk.
sneakypete posted on 2017-04-04 11:14:52 Reply Private Reply
#6: Gatlin To: All (#3)
It was a simply binary choice….Godfrey made his choice in back in 2010.
Nothing new here, folks….move along now.
Gatlin posted on 2017-04-04 11:15:03 Reply Private Reply
#7: misterwhite To: Gatlin (#6)
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-04 11:33:42 Reply Private Reply
#8: nativist nationalist To: misterwhite (#1)
nativist nationalist posted on 2017-04-04 12:35:08 Reply Private Reply
#9: misterwhite To: nativist nationalist (#8)
Excellent point.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-04 13:02:19 Reply Private Reply
#10: Gatlin To: sneakypete (#5)
Don’t ask me, Catfish, some doctor said it.
If you are sincerely interested in learning what the health risk is,
then I will go find the link with an email address and you can ask him.
If you are just being your usual wise ass….
then I won’t waste any more time on you.
Gatlin posted on 2017-04-04 13:46:54 Reply Private Reply
#11: sneakypete To: Gatlin (#10)
You are one of the posters that keep babbling that nonsense,so I figured you knew the party line.
sneakypete posted on 2017-04-04 16:52:16 Reply Private Reply
#12: Gatlin To: sneakypete, nativist nationalist, misterwhite, Asshole (#11)
Nah, Catfish, I told the “party” not to bother me with small shit….they should go ahead and handle any minutia on their own.So, I don’t know the “party line” in the situation with Garry Godfrey….but I read enough to know what is happening with him.
I learned that Garry Godfrey has Alport Syndrome. Alport Syndrome is genetic condition characterized by abnormal body functions. You may care to look those up, if you don’t know anything about Alport Syndrome. I didn’t and I had to look them up.
Tying into this unfortunate situation with Garry, is the fact that Maine voters legalized medicinal use of marijuana in 1999. He started taking medical marijuana. And at some point, Garry needed a kidney transplant. And this involved a decision by the Maine Transplant Program.
The Maine Transplant Program adopted a Drug Use Policy in 2010 that had absolutely nothing to do with marijuana legalization, any attempt to delegalize it, or restrict in any a person’s use of medical marijuana.
EXCEPT …
After due consideration and great deliberation by qualified medical personnel, the Maine Transplant Program made the decision to withhold transplants for those transplant candidates who use medical or recreational marijuana by any route (inhaled, oral) due to the adverse risk of an invasive fungal infection known as aspergillosis.
WHY …
Because it has been documented by numerous medical journals that patients whose immune systems have been compromised during the transplantation process, aspergillosis can be a life-threatening infection.
So, the decision was made by the Maine Transplant Program, who conducts a periodic review of its policies and makes revisions to update their decisions, that it was wise to take into account patient safety and the viability of transplant success.”
BOTTOM LINE …
If the medical personnel in a hospital do a transplant on a patient with marijuana in their system and then the patient develops aspergillosis [which there has been shown to be a good possibility of happening], and dies…. the medical personnel cost a life and lost a transplant organ that someone else on the list could have used in a life threatening situation. Furthermore, the medical personnel and hospital will lose a multi-million dollar suit for malpractice because they went against a known medical condition that resulted in the death. You can bet your sweet ass the latter would definitely happen….losing the lawsuit.
GARRY GODFREY …
Maine is working on a law change, like the one in California, that will require patients on marijuana be given a transplant. However, Godfrey now fears that any policy changes may come too late for him. He acknowledged that his time is likely limited with his “two beautiful boys” and wife of nearly 10 years because, even if Maine lawmakers changed the law….he would return to the bottom of the years-long kidney transplant list.
I am a compassionate person. However, I have no room in my heart for any sympathy towards Godfrey….because he personally made the binary decision to stay on the medical marijuana knowing full well that he would be denied a transplant.
It is his life, he has the decision [and maybe unfortunately soon “had” the decision] to save his own life and live with those “two beautiful boys” and his wife.
Again, it was solely Gary Godfrey’s decision and he made it….take medical marijuana or get a kidney transplant.
So, now that you have these facts which have been augmented with my opinion…..i trust you can fully understand what happened [or is happening] with Garry Godfrey.
I am reminded of an old story which I will share with you …
When trying to explain things to you, Pete….I often times feel like the Australian asking the New York City Policeman for directions … What I have shared with you here is not babbling nonsense. You may however continue to classify it as such, if you like. Please do with the information, what you will …Gatlin posted on 2017-04-04 22:44:10 Reply Private Reply
#13: Deckard To: Gatlin (#12)
Deckard posted on 2017-04-04 22:49:04 Reply Private Reply
#14: misterwhite To: Gatlin (#12)
Some refuse transplants for smokers or alcoholics -- both legal products. They have to go with the recipients most likely to succeed.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-05 10:27:03 Reply Private Reply
#15: Deckard To: misterwhite (#14)
Alcoholics - maybe. Not those who consume alcohol.
Apparently your contention is that they are one and the same.
They have to go with the recipients most likely to succeed.
From the article "State lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit Maine hospitals from “rejecting transplant patients solely for using medical marijuana.” Godfrey even testified in support of the bill, which is now in committee. "
Seems to me that Godfrey is in the right here - it was an arbitrary decision to take him off the list.
“I’ve tried so many pharmaceuticals and none of them worked, but the medical cannabis does,” he said. “It helps me function. It helps me take care of my kids.” “You should not be discriminated against for the type of medicine you choose,”
Why should he be punished for choosing to treat his symptoms with a LEGAL substance that actually works?
Deckard posted on 2017-04-05 10:35:36 Reply Private Reply
#16: misterwhite To: Deckard (#15)
If I thought they were the same I would have posted, "Some refuse transplants for smokers or drinkers."
I said alcoholics for a reason. Words mean things. I suggest you read mine and not try interpret them.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-05 10:55:24 Reply Private Reply
#17: misterwhite To: Deckard (#15)
State lawmakers shouldn't pretend to be doctors. They're not the ones being sued when something goes wrong.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-05 11:01:42 Reply Private Reply
#18: Gatlin To: misterwhite (#17)
You nailed it ...
Gatlin posted on 2017-04-05 11:13:28 Reply Private Reply
#19: Deckard To: misterwhite (#17)
But they should seek advice from doctors.
Which is what I am sure they have done.
Deckard posted on 2017-04-05 11:15:04 Reply Private Reply
#20: Deckard To: misterwhite (#16)
Yet you posted the pejorative term "alcoholics".
Deckard posted on 2017-04-05 11:16:05 Reply Private Reply
#21: misterwhite To: Deckard (#19)
Doubtful. If they had they wouldn't support such a bill.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-05 11:35:09 Reply Private Reply
#22: misterwhite To: Deckard (#20)
As in "Alcoholics Anonymous"? Funny, they don't consider it a pejorative term, and it's describing them.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-05 11:37:22 Reply Private Reply