Marijuana Use in a Nationwide Survey of Burn Survivors

There is growing interest in the role of marijuana and its derivatives in symptom management for chronic conditions including cancer and chronic pain. In burn survivors, marijuana use patterns are unknown. The objective of this study was to examine marijuana use in a nationwide sample of burn survivors. We hypothesized that severe symptoms or psychologic distress would be associated with marijuana use. Survivors were recruited and surveyed through the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors from March to June 2023. The survey elicited demographics, burn characteristics, the continued impact of symptoms on quality of life, and therapies used for alleviating symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test for independent association of marijuana use with burn characteristics and symptoms. Of 178 respondents, the majority were female (59.6%), white (74.7%), ≥55 years old (51.1%), light skin toned (60.7%), >10 years removed from injury (52.8%), and had >20% total body surface area burns (75.3%). 41 survivors (23.0%) reported marijuana use. After controlling for confounding variables, having visible burns was associated with a 3.58 times increased odds of marijuana use compared to having hidden burns (95% CI 1.19-10.78). Being >10 years removed from burn injury (aOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.11-0.92) and having medium skin tone (aOR 0.32, 95% CI 0.11-0.96) were associated with reduced odds of marijuana use. On sensitivity analysis, no burn-related symptoms were consistently associated with marijuana use. In this nationwide survey, marijuana use was common and associated with visible burns. Understanding motivations for marijuana use and efficacy in this population requires further study.