Recreational cannabis use in hemodialysis patients: prevalence, chronic pain profile and impact on quality of life.
- 1Hassan First University of Settat, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Laboratory of Health Sciences and Technologies, P.O. Box : 539, Settat, 26000, Morocco. [email protected].
- 2Hassan First University of Settat, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Laboratory of Health Sciences and Technologies, P.O. Box : 539, Settat, 26000, Morocco.
- 3Hassan II University of Casablanca, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Clinical Neuroscience and Mental Health Laboratory, P.O. Box: 9154, Tarik Ibnou Ziad Street, Casablanca, 20250, Morocco.
Abstract
Background
Morocco is one of the world's leading suppliers of cannabis, primarily cultivated in its northern region. Smoked cannabis has been reported in the literature to relieve suffering. Pain is a prevalent symptom in hemodialysis patients, leading to decreased quality of life. Therefore, this study aims to determine the prevalence of smoking cannabis in male patients undergoing hemodialysis and to explore the sociodemographic, biological and chronic pain characteristics, and quality of life between users of recreational cannabis and non-users.Methods
A total of 186 male patients on hemodialysis were recruited from four dialysis centers in the northern Morocco region. The Numeric Rating scale was used to assess pain severity and the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire was adopted to evaluate the quality of life. The Brief Pain Inventory was used to locate the painful sites. Data collection utilized medical files and a structured questionnaire including sociodemographic, clinical and dialysis-related variables.Results
The prevalence of cannabis use was 18.2%. Patients in rural areas and current tobacco smokers use more cannabis. Compared to the non-smokers' group, the smokers' group had less chronic pain (p = 0.002) and lower pain severity (p = 0.006). For the quality of life, significantly higher mean scores in general health, bodily pain and vitality domains (p = 0.02), (p < 0.001) and (p = 0.009) respectively, and increased physical component summary (p = 0.003). Furthermore, cannabis smokers were more Vitamin D deficient (p = 0.009) and had a higher serum concentration of hemoglobin (p = 0.005) compared to non-smokers.Conclusions
Cannabis smokers were predominantly from rural areas, had a history of tobacco use and were less likely to suffer from chronic pain than non-smokers. The smoker's group had low pain severity and better quality of life compared to non-smokers. However, more research is needed to investigate the relationship of frequency, quantity and quality of cannabis on efficiency and reduction of chronic pain in patients treated by hemodialysis.
Related
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- Prevalence and factors associated with physical function among patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.
- Recreational versus self-medicated cannabis use among adolescents and young adults in Spain: associations with substance use and mental health.
BibTeX
@article{bouchachi2026recreational,
title = {{Recreational cannabis use in hemodialysis patients: prevalence, chronic pain profile and impact on quality of life.}},
author = {Fatima Zahra Bouchachi and Nadia Al Wachami and Younes Iderdar and Maryem Arraji and Karima Boumendil and Chaimaa El Moubchiri and Hasna Zaeria and Abdeljalil El Got and Zineb Serhier and Mohamed Chahboune},
journal = {Journal of cannabis research},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s42238-026-00471-3},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958468},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Recreational cannabis use in hemodialysis patients: prevalence, chronic pain profile and impact on quality of life.
AU - Fatima Zahra Bouchachi
AU - Nadia Al Wachami
AU - Younes Iderdar
AU - Maryem Arraji
AU - Karima Boumendil
AU - Chaimaa El Moubchiri
AU - Hasna Zaeria
AU - Abdeljalil El Got
AU - Zineb Serhier
AU - Mohamed Chahboune
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/03
JO - Journal of cannabis research
DO - 10.1186/s42238-026-00471-3
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958468
AB - Background Morocco is one of the world's leading suppliers of cannabis, primarily cultivated in its northern region. Smoked cannabis has been reported in the literature to relieve suffering. Pain is a prevalent symptom in hemodialysis patients, leading to decreased quality of life. Therefore, this study aims to determine the prevalence of smoking cannabis in male patients undergoing hemodialysis and to explore the sociodemographic, biological and chronic pain characteristics, and quality of life between users of recreational cannabis and non-users.Methods A total of 186 male patients on hemodialysis were recruited from four dialysis centers in the northern Morocco region. The Numeric Rating scale was used to assess pain severity and the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire was adopted to evaluate the quality of life. The Brief Pain Inventory was used to locate the painful sites. Data collection utilized medical files and a structured questionnaire including sociodemographic, clinical and dialysis-related variables.Results The prevalence of cannabis use was 18.2%. Patients in rural areas and current tobacco smokers use more cannabis. Compared to the non-smokers' group, the smokers' group had less chronic pain (p = 0.002) and lower pain severity (p = 0.006). For the quality of life, significantly higher mean scores in general health, bodily pain and vitality domains (p = 0.02), (p < 0.001) and (p = 0.009) respectively, and increased physical component summary (p = 0.003). Furthermore, cannabis smokers were more Vitamin D deficient (p = 0.009) and had a higher serum concentration of hemoglobin (p = 0.005) compared to non-smokers.Conclusions Cannabis smokers were predominantly from rural areas, had a history of tobacco use and were less likely to suffer from chronic pain than non-smokers. The smoker's group had low pain severity and better quality of life compared to non-smokers. However, more research is needed to investigate the relationship of frequency, quantity and quality of cannabis on efficiency and reduction of chronic pain in patients treated by hemodialysis.
SN - 2522-5782
ER -