Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome — with severe vomiting, abdominal pain and temporary relief through compulsive hot bathing — is increasingly affecting adolescents and young adults.

As cannabis use among youth rises in Canada — and THC potency reaches record highs — emergency departments are seeing a surge in cases of a once-rare condition: cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS).

Characterized by relentless vomiting, abdominal pain and temporary relief through compulsive hot showers or baths, CHS is increasingly affecting adolescents and young adults. Yet few people — including many clinicians — know it exists.

Canada ranks among the highest globally for youth cannabis use, with 43 per cent of 16-19-year-olds reporting use in the past year. Usage peaks among those 20–24 years, with nearly half (48 per cent) reporting past-year use.

This rise in regular, heavy use coincides with a 400 per cent increase in THC potency since the 1980s. Strains with THC levels above 25 per cent are now common. As cannabis becomes more potent and accessible, clinicians are seeing more cases of CHS, a condition virtually unheard of before 2004.

CHS unfolds in three phases:

  1. Prodromal phase: Nausea and early morning discomfort begin. Users increase cannabis consumption, thinking it will relieve symptoms.

  2. Hyperemetic phase: Intense vomiting, dehydration and abdominal pain follow. Hot showers or baths provide temporary relief — a hallmark of CHS.

  3. Recovery phase: Symptoms resolve after stopping cannabis entirely.

Diagnosis is often delayed. One reason is because CHS mimics conditions like gastroenteritis or eating disorders, leading to costly CT scans, MRIs and gastric emptying tests. One telltale sign — compulsive hot bathing — is frequently overlooked, despite its strong diagnostic value.

Youth face unique risks. The brain continues to develop until about age 25, and THC exposure during this critical window can impair cognitive functions like memory, learning and emotional regulation. Heavy cannabis use is associated with heightened risks of anxiety, depression, psychosis and self-harm.

Edit, the link in the article goes to this study:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2796355

Results There were 12 866 ED visits for CHS from 8140 individuals during the study. Overall, the mean (SD) age was 27.4 (10.5) years, with 2834 individuals (34.8%) aged 19 to 24 years, 4163 (51.5%) females, and 1353 individuals (16.6%) with a mental health ED visit or hospitalization in the 2 years before their first CHS ED visit. Nearly 10% of visits (1135 visits [8.8%]) led to hospital admissions. Monthly rates of CHS ED visits increased 13-fold during the 7.5-year study period, from 0.26 visits per 100 000 population in January 2014 to 3.43 visits per 100 000 population in June 2021. Legalization was not associated with an immediate or gradual change in rates of ED visits for CHS; however, commercialization during the COVID-19 pandemic period was associated with an immediate increase in rates of CHS ED visits (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.49; 95% CI, 1.31-1.70). During commercialization, rates of CHS ED visits increased more in women (IRR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.16-1.92) and individuals older than the legal age of cannabis purchase (eg, age 19-24 years: IRR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.19-2.16) than men (IRR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.85-1.37) and individuals younger than the legal age of purchase (IRR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.42-1.45).

  • Showroom7561
    13·
    4 days ago

    I’m assuming then, that you aren’t aware of the decades of research on cannabis, especially when smoked, showing harm in other areas of human health?

    Have a read.

      • Showroom7561
        11·
        4 days ago

        Oh, come on now. You are arguing in bath faith if you couldn’t find one thing that “proves you wrong”.

        Here are just a few from that link, and each topic is explored in depth if you click through the supporting links on that page:

        “Hospitalizations for psychotic disorder related to cannabis use accounted for one-third of mental or behavioural disorders between 2006–2015, increasing more than 25 per cent during this time.”

        “Cannabis smoke contains chemicals (toxins, carcinogens and irritants) that are known to negatively affect lung health.”

        “Smoking cannabis may suppress the immune system, which can make you more prone to infection from viruses.”

        “Regular cannabis use can increase the risk of developing psychosis and schizophrenia…”

        “Cannabis impairs the cognitive and motor abilities necessary to operate a motor vehicle and doubles the risk of being involved in a collision.”

        “Cannabis, when inhaled, can potentially trigger stroke, heart attack or inflammation of arteries, especially in those who use cannabis heavily.”

        “Regular use of these products [edibles] has been associated with problematic cannabis use, cannabis use disorder and mental health disorders.”

        “Based on existing research and because of the associated risks of harms, cannabis use should only be considered for people who do not respond to first- and second-line treatments.”

        “Most of the cases of emerging lung and respiratory disorders have been linked to vaping products containing THC from cannabis extracts.”

        “Regular cannabis use is associated with changes in brain structure and function, including changes to the brain’s natural reward pathways.”

        “Regular cannabis use is generally associated with more harmful rather than beneficial effects among people with mental health conditions.”

        “Frequent cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with … Altered neurodevelopment and cognition, and academic under-achievement; and behavioural disturbances among children and young adults, including attention deficits, increased hyperactivity and impulsivity, and increased likelihood of delinquency and substance use.”

          • Showroom7561
            12·
            4 days ago

            No proof whatsoever

            You didn’t read any of it.

            Smoking anything is bad for lung health, does nothing to change the fact that marijuana is the safest recreational substance in existence, especially when ingested in any other way.

            The safest in a group of harmful things doesn’t make it safe!

            “May supress the immune sustem” no evidence provided lol, unsubstantiated speculation, embarassingly weak

            Here’s what the research says:

            “The review of published research shows that cannabis use may impair immune function in many instances and thereby exerts an impact on viral infections including human immune deficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C infection (HCV), and human T-cell lymphotropic type I and II virus (HTLV-I/II).” Maggirwar SB, Khalsa JH. The Link between Cannabis Use, Immune System, and Viral Infections. Viruses. 2021;13(6):1099. Published 2021 Jun 9. doi:10.3390/v13061099

            “Can increase risk of developing schizophrenia” also well documented that it has no chance whatsoever of causing schizophrenia in individuals that aren’t already hereditarily prone to developing it, at most it can accelerate onset

            Again, more studies to help you:

            “This adds to the substantial evidence base that has previously identified cannabis use to associate with increased risk of schizophrenia, by suggesting that the relationship is causal. Such robust evidence may inform public health messages about cannabis use, especially regarding its potential mental health consequences.” Vaucher J, Keating BJ, Lasserre AM, et al. Cannabis use and risk of schizophrenia: a Mendelian randomization study. Mol Psychiatry. 2018;23(5):1287-1292. doi:10.1038/mp.2016.252

            “To date, the research on the impact of its use has largely been epidemiological in nature and has consistently found that cannabis use is associated with schizophrenia outcomes later in life, even after controlling for several confounding factors.” Casadio P, Fernandes C, Murray RM, Di Forti M. Cannabis use in young people: the risk for schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2011;35(8):1779-1787. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.04.007

            There are dozens more, if you need them.

              • Showroom7561
                12·
                4 days ago

                I truly appreciate the time you took to read the studies. I respect that, however, the personal attacks are unwarranted, and you’re more than welcome to debate the experts who’ve compiled the data, if you like.

                Let’s take things one at a time, but it should also be noted that much of the research cited are medicinal users of cannabis (including those prescribed by doctors), not recreational, which is what the actual OP is about. You avoided touching on any of those from the long list by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.

                Your first study, linked directly because it’s actually really easy to do https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8229290/

                From the conclusion: “…data are not sufficiently strong to suggest that cannabis use adversely affects the progression of viral diseases…it is also evident that cannabis or its constituents, including THC and CBD, have some beneficial effects such as improving appetite and food intake in patients with HIV/AIDS and positive effects in patients with hepatic steatosis”

                You conveniently left out the parts before that:

                "Research suggests a link between cannabis, immune function, and viral infections. Cannabis use may be associated with adverse effects on immune function and, thereby, increase the risk of acquiring or transmitting infections such as HIV and HCV. "

                The part you bring up has to do with viral progression, which is different. And the fact that more research is needed in this area (per the study), doesn’t clear cannabis from harm.

                The benefits of increased appetite in someone who is dying is great! Too bad, that has no relevance to the general population, so the risks outweigh the benefits.

                Your second study https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7442038/

                Again, direct quotes: “We have evidence suggesting that cannabis use, primarily THC in cannabis, in genetically predisposed or at-risk populations, leads to earlier diagnosis of psychosis/schizophrenia.”

                That doesn’t appear to be the study I linked, but we agree, increased risks.

                But why did you skip the most important parts of the conclusion?

                "Neuroimaging studies show the detrimental effect of cannabis on brain morphology, especially adolescent brains. "

                “…there is still more harm from cannabis than benefits, and adolescent cannabis usage should be discouraged at all costs.”

                That’s pretty damning for something considered safe, wouldn’t you agree?

                “Recent trials in therapeutic CBD use are showing its alleviating effect on positive symptoms of schizophrenia and its opposing effect on THC, which warrants further research.”

                So not only is there no evidence of any risk of psychosis or schizophrenia for anyone who isn’t already genetically predisposed, but there’s actually evidence that specific cannabinoids in isolation can alleviate symptoms! Wow, another source betrays you

                Trials… therapeutic CBD… that sounds considerably different from recreational use outside of a medical setting, no? Like the type of use they would like to see discouraged “at all costs”.

                Anyway, the study I linked is: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5984096/

                “In summary, a genetic approach—representing an alternative to assessing causality when a randomized controlled trial would be unethical—strongly supports the hypothesis that use of cannabis is causally related to risk of schizophrenia.”

                Your third study https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S014976341100073X

                And more direct quotes that clearly illustrate how stupid you are: “…cannabis use is clearly not an essential or sufficient risk factor as not all schizophrenic patients have used cannabis and the majority of cannabis users do not develop schizophrenia.”

                This was my oversight, and I apologize for that.

                That review paper was quite outdated, and the same author has a much more recent study available: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7646282/

                “In conclusion, our findings confirm previous evidence of the harmful effect on mental health of daily use of cannabis, especially of high-potency types. Importantly, they indicate for the first time how cannabis use affects the incidence of psychotic disorder. Therefore, it is of public health importance to acknowledge alongside the potential medicinal properties of some cannabis constituents the potential adverse effects that are associated with daily cannabis use, especially of high-potency varieties.”

                I hope that covers it. There seems to be more than enough evidence to suggest that cannabis is not safe, even for being the “safest recreational drug”.

                Edit: grammar/spelling.

                  • Showroom7561
                    1·
                    3 days ago

                    I’m sorry that your mental health is in such a bad state.

                    I read in your other comment that you’ve been a daily cannabis user for decades, and now I can understand your aggressive defense of the drug, and your unhinged behaviour.

                    I wish you said that sooner. Your agenda is to defend your addiction, so there was never an honest discussion here.

                    It was fun. Get some help.