-
Essay / Medical Marijuana as an Option for Sickle Cell Disease
“Sickle cell disease doesn’t bind me, it motivates me. It covers you with pain allowing you to see and taste the freedom of health and when you least expect it, it makes you beg to be normal. I am its guardian and even though it hurts to live, I wouldn't die if I was lucky enough to have a gift and the only way to help others and enjoy life is to live with this curse …” Davinna Thrower. Medical marijuana should be an option for sickle cell patients in all states that allow the use of medical marijuana. Medical marijuana has been proven to help patients suffering from sickle cell disease. Opioids administered for pain relief in sickle cell patients are known to activate mast cells. Medical marijuana is more convenient to obtain than prescribed medications. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Medical marijuana has been proven to help patients suffering from sickle cell disease. In a survey done at Yale, 79% of patients diagnosed with SCD said marijuana caused them to use their painkillers less. There are two cannabinoid receptors, CB1R and CB2R. The researchers wanted to specifically target cannabinoid receptors to alienate the mast cell activation present in sickle cell patients. Cannabinoid receptors are located in tissues of the central nervous system and non-central nervous system, as well as in cells associated with inflammation. The researchers suggest: “Selective activation of peripheral cannabinoid receptors is attractive because it would avoid neuropsychiatric adverse effects associated with CB1R activation in the central nervous system. » This indicates that if there were a more direct way to access these receptors, it would negate the effects related to SCD. Cannabinoids are also used to reduce inflammation, which can cause pain in patients with sickle cell disease. cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory effects that protect against ischemic damage. The researchers who conducted this experiment on a group of mice determined: “Earlier, we showed that a single injection of CP55,940, a non-selective cannabinoid receptor agonist, at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg , relieved deep tissue tonic as well as CFA- induced mechanical hyperalgesia in these sickle mice.” This proves that the receptor helps relieve pain. Doctors prescribe something to patients with sickle cell disease to reduce the pain behind inflation and cell production, called morphine. Opioids administered to relieve pain in sickle cell patients are known to activate mast cells. Morphine is the main medication used to treat sickle cell pain. Although it is the primary choice, it is highly histaminergic. This means that it uses a substance that promotes allergic reactions and dilation of blood vessels. When this happens, mast cell activation occurs, which can cause neurogenic inflammation, as shown in an experiment in sickle cell mice by Lucile Vincent. Another problem with taking morphine for pain is the risk of addiction, particularly in patients with sickle cell disease, as these patients have episodes that can last from a few minutes to a few hours between the time they are infants and adult life. Morphine is considered an opioid narcotic and comes in different forms. It is known to create dependence in..