Dude -- I received my bilateral double lung transplant in May 1996. One requirement at my center, Loyola Univ. Medical Center in suburban Chicago, was a certain length of time from drug/alcohol use and your transplant listing. It was a five-year requirement for my center at the time. I was 44 at date of transplant and I had been a heavy drinker up until 1991 when I went into AA. That was exactly 5 years from the day I was evaluated for the transplant. Here is what I believe is the reason for any stipulation about drug/alcohol use history in transplant candidates: Your docs want to be sure you have the discipline to handle the post-transplant regime, which can be a challenge. That can be hard to do for anyone still taking drugs or abusing alcohol. They want to make sure the transplant gift will be used by someone dedicated to making the most out of this new lease on life...the other reason is your body will be healthier without substances floating in it. I started visiting a gym two years ago for three times a week (first time since forced-gym in high school)and have put on 18 pounds and some muscle on my formerly thin frame...never thought that possible before, but with the transplant I am now healthy and what I eat, more of it goes to building muscle, etc. Best of luck to you...discuss your situation again with your transplant team and if pot smoking is a problem for you seek out help through one of the 12-step programs.
