Executive Summary

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is the condition most often described as a growing (and previously under-recognized) disorder tied to marijuana use. It involves recurrent, severe episodes of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in people who use cannabis frequently and long-term. Cases and emergency-department visits have risen sharply with higher-potency products, more daily use, and wider legalization.

Why this Article? The Know Your H20 Brand is about solid fact based information to help live a healthy life. Because of the issues related to the potential for dehydration and illness, we provided this article for our readers information.

Key features of CHS

• Episodes of intense nausea and vomiting (sometimes called “scromiting” when people scream from the pain while vomiting).
• Abdominal pain.
• Temporary relief from hot showers or baths (a distinctive clue).
• Symptoms that typically appear after years of heavy use (often daily or near-daily) and resolve only with complete cannabis cessation.

It is not the same as ordinary cannabis side effects or cyclic vomiting syndrome. Many patients are initially misdiagnosed with other GI problems.

ER visits linked to CHS have increased several-fold in recent years (reports describe doubling, fivefold, or larger rises depending on the period and location). Higher THC potency is a major driver—average seized cannabis rose from roughly 4% THC decades ago to 16% or more, with concentrates often far higher.

The only reliable long-term treatment is stopping cannabis use. Acute episodes are managed with IV fluids, anti-nausea medications, sometimes capsaicin cream on the abdomen, and other supportive care.

Other growing problems linked to marijuana

Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is also increasing. This is a substance-use disorder involving loss of control, cravings, tolerance, and continued use despite harm. Roughly 20–30% of regular users meet criteria in some estimates; rates are especially high among daily users and those who start young. Legalization and higher-potency products appear to raise the risk.

Heavy or high-potency cannabis use, particularly starting in adolescence, is also associated with higher risk of psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia-spectrum conditions). Studies have found substantially elevated risks (sometimes 5- to 11-fold in certain analyses) among frequent young users, and some population data show rising psychosis diagnoses in young people coinciding with greater cannabis availability and potency.

Not everyone who uses cannabis develops these problems. Risk is highest with frequent use, high-THC products, early age of initiation, and individual vulnerability (genetics, other mental-health conditions). Quitting cannabis is the key intervention for both CHS and CUD.

References

Colino, S., & Kevin, B. (2024, November 12). This rare health disorder is on the rise in cannabis users. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/chs-cannabis-marijuana-risks

Barry, E. (2026, February 2). Psychosis diagnoses have risen among young Canadians, data shows. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/health/pyschosis-young-people-cannabis-canada.html

The New York Times. (2024, October 4). As America’s marijuana use grows, so do the risks. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/04/us/cannabis-marijuana-risks-addiction.html

JAMA. (2024). Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. JAMA. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2824833

Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Cannabis use disorder: What it is, symptoms & treatment. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/cannabis-use-disorder

Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS): Causes, symptoms & treatment. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21665-cannabis-hyperemesis-syndrome

Connor, J. P., Stjepanović, D., Le Foll, B., Hoch, E., Budney, A. J., & Hall, W. D. (2021). Cannabis use and cannabis use disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 7, Article 16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-021-00247-4

Gorelick, D. A. (2023). Cannabis-related disorders and toxic effects. New England Journal of Medicine, 389(24), 2267–2275. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra2212152

Swartz, J. A., & Franceschini, D. (2025). Emergency visits for cannabis-related vomiting jumped in recent years. Studies reported in JAMA Network Open and related analyses of U.S. emergency department data (2016–2022).