Renal failure, aka kidney failure, is when the kidneys aren’t working as well as they could, to the point where a kidney transplant or dialysis is required. Kidney failure is a result of chronic kidney disease (CKD), which can arise due to high blood sugar (diabetes), high blood pressure (hypertension), damage to the kidney’s filters (called nephrons), polycystic kidney disease, kidney blockage by a stone or scar tissue, or an injury.
There is little research on cannabis and cannabinoids as a medication for CKD or renal failure, but there have been reports of cannabis being useful for neuropathic pain associated with CKD. Cannabinoids do not seem to impair kidney function, and in fact CBD may prove useful as a way of reducing immunosuppressant intake. More clinical trials are needed.
