Parents of children with sickle cell disease had similar concerns about medical marijuana as they did about opioids
A survey of parents found they were concerned about marijuana's societal implications for their children with sickle cell disease, viewing it with similar wariness as opioids despite its potential as a safer pain alternative.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Parents had significant concerns about societal implications of medical marijuana use in their children; concerns about marijuana were similar to those about opioids despite marijuana being potentially safer; social consequences may impact treatment acceptability.
Key Numbers
Parental concerns about marijuana were comparable to opioid concerns; significant societal implication worries identified.
How They Did This
Survey study of parents of children with sickle cell disease assessing home pain management strategies and attitudes toward medical marijuana use.
Why This Research Matters
Even in conditions with severe pain where alternatives to opioids are desperately needed, parental concerns about marijuana's social stigma may prevent its consideration as a treatment option.
The Bigger Picture
Treatment acceptability depends on more than medical evidence; social stigma around marijuana may be a barrier to its use in pediatric populations even when medical benefits exist.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Survey methodology details limited in abstract; sample size not specified; single-site study; parental attitudes may not reflect child preferences; specific sickle cell population may not generalize.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would parental attitudes change with education about medical marijuana safety data?
- ?Do social concerns differ by race or socioeconomic status?
- ?What role does marijuana stigma play in pain undertreament?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Parental concerns about marijuana matched their concerns about opioids despite marijuana being potentially safer
- Evidence Grade:
- Survey provides insight into parental perspectives but limited methodological details and unknown sample size reduce confidence.
- Study Age:
- Published 2025
- Original Title:
- Parental Perceptions and Practices Regarding Pain Management and Medical Marijuana Use in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease.
- Published In:
- Clinical pediatrics, 64(6), 824-829 (2025)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06233
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Are parents open to medical marijuana for their children's pain?
Parents had significant concerns, particularly about societal implications. Their wariness about marijuana was similar to their concerns about opioids.
What were the main barriers?
Beyond medical concerns, parents worried about the social consequences of their children using marijuana, suggesting stigma may prevent access to a potentially safer pain alternative.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06233APA
Cinquepalmi, Loretta; Ayeni, Adetunbi; Melville, Laura; Kelly, Christopher. (2025). Parental Perceptions and Practices Regarding Pain Management and Medical Marijuana Use in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease.. Clinical pediatrics, 64(6), 824-829. https://doi.org/10.1177/00099228241304464
MLA
Cinquepalmi, Loretta, et al. "Parental Perceptions and Practices Regarding Pain Management and Medical Marijuana Use in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease.." Clinical pediatrics, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1177/00099228241304464
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Parental Perceptions and Practices Regarding Pain Management..." RTHC-06233. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/cinquepalmi-2025-parental-perceptions-and-practices
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.