I'm not too sure about that. They basically took over from the Dead as far as a drug distribution 'parking lot scene'. The crowd was young and a new generation of people. Not surprisingly, they really took off after the death of Garcia, keeping that scene alive.
When was he last seen in public? There was a claim he was 'out' and not found for 10min after that heart attack. He may be severely brain damaged, or otherwise incapacitated.