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.

  • Hylactor@sopuli.xyz
    0·
    4 days ago

    My personal, unscientific read on the CHE situation is that it’s mote likely a collection of common responses to anxiety/panic caused by being too high. I have no first hand experience though. But I can tell you that tye advent of things such as the Astropink Alien Brain, coming in at 500mg of thc in a single gummy, supports that we’re in unprecedented times potency and ease of use wise. That’s roughly equivalent to the THC of an entire eighth of flower in one go. I can easily see people biting off more than they can chew, so to speak.

  • eddanja@lemmy.world
    0·
    4 days ago

    I wonder if this number would change if the drug was regulated??

    Nahh… Probably not… [as I take a swig from my 90% alcoholic drink].

    • southsamurai@sh.itjust.works
      0·
      4 days ago

      From what I’ve read on it, only when someone is way over consuming often enough that it lingers at a higher level long enough. Otherwise it fades when the high does, or not long after.