Frequent cannabis users are now discussing a new side effect that has resulted in some individuals needing hospital attention.
As of 2023, approximately 17 percent of Americans reported having used cannabis, with the substance now legalized in 24 states including Ohio and Minnesota, which have recently approved it for recreational usage.
Although there are documented health benefits of using cannabis, researchers are now examining the effects faced by those who use it chronically.
Chronic cannabis use is characterized by regular consumption over extended periods, often identified as daily or nearly daily use, according to health professionals.
Recently, emergency departments have been treating individuals with symptoms like abdominal pain and intense or persistent vomiting. Experts have noted that these patients often have a commonality: they are habitual cannabis users.
This condition is referred to as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), a disorder causing distressing symptoms like nausea and abdominal discomfort. According to UW Medicine, this gastrointestinal issue typically appears within 24 hours after the most recent use and can persist for days.
While the duration of symptoms can be up to 48 hours, some individuals have reported vomiting as frequently as 30 times per year.
The exact cause of CHS remains unknown, but a leading theory, as suggested by the Cleveland Clinic, is that it may result from prolonged overstimulation of receptors within the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
Individuals who have suffered from this syndrome have taken to social media to share their experiences, and it’s clear that many of them became quite ill.
“This s**** wild, it’s some of the worst physical pain I’ve ever experienced in my life, and I birthed him, a 9-pound baby,” stated TikTok user vanillasunshineee205.
Another social media user, lizhaniford, mentioned: “I almost died from it, I couldn’t eat or drink for a week. I was throwing up 24/7. I threw up at first, and I continued to smoke, threw up again, continued to smoke.”
A TikToker known as @ms.womanist3 shared that she’s been sober for six months following a severe illness.
“Smoking nearly killed me,” she explained. “The only way to stop the recurring sickness is to stop smoking.”
The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases has officially recognized CHS as a condition on its website. This development will enable experts to closely monitor cases and better understand how regular cannabis use affects the human body.
Beatriz Carlini, a research associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, remarked: “It helps us count and monitor these cases. In studying addiction and other public health concerns, we have three sources of data: what clinicians tell us, what people in the communities tell us, and what health records tell us.”
“A new code for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome will supply important hard evidence on cannabis-adverse events, which physicians tell us is a growing problem.”