Heavy weed users face 'uncontrollable' vomiting, screaming in what doctors call 'cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome'

A debilitating condition known as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), or "scromiting," is sending waves of heavy cannabis users to emergency rooms across the United States amid expanding legalization. The condition triggers cycles of intense nausea, abdominal pain, and uncontrollable vomiting—often so severe that patients scream during episodes, earning the nickname "scromiting."

While the syndrome contradicts the anti-nausea reputation of cannabis, CHS primarily affects chronic daily users, with symptoms easing only through certain remedies, such as hot showers or stopping the use of the drug altogether.A new study from the University of Illinois Chicago, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed over 188 million emergency department visits from 2016 to 2022 and found suspected CHA cases increased fivefold, from 4.4 per 100,000 visits to a peak of 33.1 in 2020.

Researchers found the sharpest increases in CHS cases among adults aged 18 to 35 and in states with recreational cannabis laws. Nearly half of US residents live in states where recreational cannabis is legal, fueling higher consumption rates, particularly of high-THC products. A separate analysis in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition reported over 55,000 suspected CHS-related visits among youth aged 15 to 24 from 2006 to 2020, with an average annual increase of 28.1 percent.

CHS was only recently recognized when the World Health Organization and US health officials added a dedicated ICD-10 code R11.16 in October 2025. Cases were often misclassified under cyclic vomiting syndrome. Experts attribute the rise to increased access and potency of cannabis, though the condition remains rare overall.