Parental Perceptions and Practices Regarding Pain Management and Medical Marijuana Use in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease

Parental strategies for home management of pain crisis in children with sickle cell anemia are not well studied. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) are thought of as the mainstay of home and in-patient pain management for pediatric patients with sickle cell disease. Parents and providers often fear the use of opioids due to the risk of addiction. Medical marijuana is a potential adjunct therapy, but parental concerns regarding its use are not known. We aimed to assess parental strategies for home pain control, as well as attitudes toward the use of medical marijuana in children with sickle cell disease. Although medical marijuana may be a safer alternative to opioids, parents had similar concerns regarding marijuana. There were significant concerns regarding the societal implications of marijuana use. Further study of the utility of marijuana is warranted, but clinicians must look beyond the medical and consider the social consequences that may impact treatment acceptability.