“Sickle Cell Anemia doesn't constrain me, it drives me. It covers you with pain allowing you to see and taste the freedom of health and when you least expect it makes you beg to be normal. I am the keeper of it and even though it hurts to live, I would die if I didn't. I have been blessed with a gift and the only way to help others and appreciate 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 shown to help sickle cell patients. Opioids given for pain relief in sickle cell patients are known to activate mast cells. Medical marijuana is cheaper to obtain than prescription drugs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Medical marijuana has been shown to help sickle cell patients. In a survey conducted at Yale, among patients diagnosed with sickle cell disease, 79 percent said marijuana caused them to use pain medications less. There are two cannabinoid receptors, CB1R and CB2R. The researchers wanted to specifically target cannabinoid receptors to alienate the mast cell activation that is present in sickle cell patients. Cannabinoid receptors are found in the central nervous system and non-central nervous system tissues, along with cells associated with inflammation. The researchers suggest: “Selective activation of peripheral cannabinoid receptors is attractive because it would avoid adverse neuropsychiatric effects associated with CB1R activation in the central nervous system.” This states that if there was a more direct way to gain access to these receptors it would negate the effects resulting from SCD. Cannabinoids are also used to reduce inflammation which is what can cause pain in SCD patients. Cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory effects that protect against ischemic damage. Researchers who conducted this experiment on a group of mice determined: “We have previously demonstrated that a single injection of CP55,940, a non-selective cannabinoid receptor agonist, at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg alleviated the deep tissue tonic as well as CFA- induced mechanical hyperalgesia in these sickle cell mice.” This shows that the receptor helped relieve pain. Doctors prescribe something for sickle cell patients to take to reduce the pain behind the swelling and production of cells called morphine. Opioids given for pain relief in patients with sickle cell disease are known to activate mast cells. Morphine is the main drug used to treat sickle cell pain. Although it is the main choice, it is highly histaminergic. This means that it uses a substance that helps in allergic reactions and dilation of blood vessels. When this occurs, mast cell activation occurs which can help cause neurogenic inflammation, as demonstrated in an experiment with sickle cell mice conducted by Lucile Vincent. Another problem with taking morphine for pain is the risk of addiction, especially in sickle cell patients, because these patients have episodes that can last minutes to hours from the time they are infants into adult life. Morphine is considered an opioid narcotic and is available in several forms. It is known to be addictive in patients and the longer the use of the drug, the lower its effectiveness. This may lead patients to..