Kidney disease patients say cannabis helps manage overwhelming symptoms but face major barriers to accessing it legally

Of 17 participants, 13 used non-prescribed and 4 used prescribed cannabis. Four themes emerged: using cannabinoids to relieve an overwhelming symptom burden; barriers to accessing medical cannabis including cost and stigma; weighing risks of unregulated products; and lack of clinician knowledge and support. Most had hemodialysis experience.

Qualitative semistructured interview study with patients who had used either prescribed or non-prescribed cannabis to manage kidney failure symptoms. Data were coded inductively to identify themes and a conceptual framework.

Kidney failure patients experience severe symptoms that are often poorly managed with existing treatments. This study gives voice to patients navigating a complex landscape where the treatments they find helpful are often inaccessible or stigmatized.

This reflects a broader pattern across chronic disease populations: patients turning to cannabis for symptom relief but finding formal medical channels unresponsive or inaccessible. The disconnect between patient experience and clinical practice persists.

Small sample (17 participants) limits generalizability. Self-selected participants likely to have positive views of cannabis. No objective symptom measurement. Qualitative design does not establish efficacy.