Long-Term Frequent Cannabis Use and Related Serum Cannabinoid Levels Are Not Associated with Kidney Dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Human studies on cannabis use and kidney health are limited.
• Understanding the renal impact of recreational cannabis is crucial for public health.
• Previous studies often lack real-world data on long-term cannabis consumers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between chronic recreational cannabis use and kidney function.
• To analyze the correlation between glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and serum cannabinoid levels.
• To assess the impact of cannabis dependence on renal health in a detoxifying population.

Main Methods:

• Post-hoc analysis of a clinical study sample undergoing inpatient detox.
• Inclusion of participants with cannabis dependence and concurrent nicotine dependence, but no other major comorbidities.
• Assessment of routine laboratory tests, including GFR, and serum levels of THC and its metabolites.

Main Results:

• No significant association was found between GFR and reported cannabis burden (daily use, duration).
• Serum cannabinoid levels (THC, 11-Hydroxy-THC, 11-Nor-9-carboxy-THC) did not correlate with GFR.
• Mild kidney dysfunction (GFR 86-75 mL/min) was observed in 12% of participants, but this was linked to stronger nicotine misuse.

Conclusions:

• Chronic recreational cannabis use, even with significant dependence, did not relevantly impair kidney function in this study population.
• Nicotine misuse, rather than cannabis use, may be a more significant factor in mild kidney dysfunction within this cohort.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate the long-term renal effects of cannabis.