A new study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health found no independent link between cannabis use and negative kidney health outcomes over time.
The study, published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, analyzed data from over 1,500 adults in Baltimore, Maryland. Participants were enrolled in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span (HANDLS) study and were tracked over a period of several years to assess the long-term effects of cannabis use on kidney health.
Cannabis consumption was categorized into five groups: never used, tried but not regularly, formerly used regularly, currently using regularly, and irregular use. Researchers then looked at key kidney health indicators such as incident chronic kidney disease (CKD), rapid decline in kidney function, and development of albuminuria.
After adjusting for various demographic and health factors, including the concurrent use of tobacco, opiates, and cocaine, the study found no increased risk of kidney disease or decline in kidney function among current regular cannabis users. Specifically, the odds ratio for developing CKD was 0.79, with no significant link found to rapid function decline or elevated albumin levels.
“These findings suggest that cannabis use, including current regular use, is not independently associated with kidney damage or dysfunction in otherwise healthy adults,” the authors concluded.
The researchers emphasized that while the findings are limited to a specific urban population, they contribute important data to the ongoing discussion of cannabis and its health impacts amid growing legalization and use.
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