A 2019 article reported on thedeaths of three patients who experienced CHS; two of these deaths were directly caused by CHS-related dehydration, which caused low blood sugar and electrolyte abnormalities. These chemical disturbances in the body caused cardiac arrest in one patient and kidney failure in the other patient, leading to their deaths. A person’s risk of dying from CHS is especially low if they get appropriate medical care and stop using marijuana. Chronic cannabis use significantly raises the risk of mental health problems and personality disorders, a major study suggests. ‘Patients who suffer from this condition have recurrent bouts of vomiting and abdominal pain. Many people with CHS will compulsively shower or bathe — often for hours every day — to relieve CHS symptoms.
Cannabis and schizophrenia
Similarly, researchers now understand that physicians often mistake CHS for Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome, a similar, enigmatic disorder. In one notable 2018 paper, researchers recorded at least two deaths caused by CHS, and a third CHS contributed to. In another case, a bereaved mother has written a heart-rending account of her son’s undignified death due to CHS. In all these cases, marijuana and CHS provided the mechanisms of death; the direct cause was acute hyponatremia (very low levels of sodium) caused by dehydration. In fact, there are 12,500 members in a private “Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Recovery” group on Facebook on how to stop using marijuana, so they can stop throwing up. Habboushe concluded in his study that as many as 2.75 million regular cannabis users may suffer from symptoms of CHS, though may of them may be mild.
What is the treatment for cannabinoid hyperemesis treatment?
If you’re a regular marijuana user and have experienced serious nausea or vomiting, it might not be something you ate — it could be cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. The patient’s vomiting may have been multifactorial, related to the advanced stage of small-cell lung cancer and medication side effects (i.e., chemotherapy agents). Toxicity induced by drug-drug interactions with paclitaxel may have led to reduced renal clearance of nabilone, perpetuating nausea, and vomiting. Alternatively, the stress of undergoing chemotherapy in advanced stage lung cancer combined with food deprivation could have contributed to further breakdown of her fat stores causing a mass release of delta (9)-tetrahydrocannabinol from years of nabilone use.
- If you or a loved one is suffering from Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome and marijuana addiction, it’s time to take the first step toward recovery.
- Studies focused on individuals diagnosed with CHS, as well as those with comparable conditions like CVS, were selected.
- Although there’s still no magic cure for a patient’s marijuana-related hyperemesis, Moulin and other doctors say they’re getting better at treating the symptoms, using old anti-psychotic medications and cream for muscle aches.
Moreover, cannabis legalization has introduced higher-potency products to the market, which may be a significant factor contributing to the rising incidence of CHS. A new study analyzes the disease burden and the risk factors for severity among people who suffer from a condition called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) is a condition caused by long-term marijuana use, characterized by recurrent nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Individuals with CHS often find relief from symptoms through hot showers or baths.
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: Reports of Fatal Cases
- Attempt to reinitiate nabilone to help with the pain led to more severe episodes of nausea and vomiting.
- Doctors can do little to relieve the symptoms, since traditional anti-nausea medications often don’t work and there are no pills to prevent the onset of an episode.
- A fascinating study has recently demonstrated highly specific metabolic changes accompanying symptomatic improvement of autistic patients with cannabis-based therapies (Quillet et al., 2023).
- Previous admissions to the acute care unit were unsuccessful in controlling her nausea and vomiting and only resulted in short-term improvement.
- 2.6 million Americans become new users each year; the majority of this group is under the age of 19 3.
Though CHS is relatively new syndrome, the treatment protocol is well-established. Physicians typically prescribe IV fluids to fight dehydration; pain meds; mild tranquilizers; antihistamines; lots of hot showers; and sometimes capsaicin cream rubbed on the belly. As long as the patient stops using marijuana, the CHS symptoms usually go away within 10 days. According to his death certificate, Brandon Danielson died of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS, a condition that results from daily use of cannabis, especially high-THC concentrates. As cannabis products like https://evolutionpak.com/top-drug-rehab-centers-2025-find-addiction/ vapes, shatter, and dabs have reached near 100% potency, doctors across Washington state are seeing an increase in cannabis-related disorders, including CHS.
Case Report:
Queen said she would vomit repeatedly unless she was in a hot shower — so she’d stay in there for hours. With the recent legalization of cannabis in Canada, it is important that conditions like CHS receive appropriate attention. This can be achieved, as suggested by previous authors,4,7,16 by increasing the amount of research on the subject that is conducted and published, as we have done here. In addition, it would be prudent for the government to increase awareness of cannabis complications through warnings on packages, as is done for tobacco products. Given that hospital admissions due to CHS are likely to increase, we propose building CHS screening protocols or tools to be used at the hospital level for patients who present with nausea, diarrhea, and/or stomach pain.
While conventional antiemetics alone are usually insufficient for CHS, growing clinical experience has identified more effective treatments for acute episodes, including dopamine antagonists, benzodiazepines, and topical capsaicin. Adopting protocols how long does it take to recover from cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome that include these agents can significantly improve patient comfort and shorten hospital stays. However, the ultimate treatment is patient education and cessation of cannabis use, which may require compassionate counseling and addiction support. Notably, comorbid psychiatric conditions and substance use disorders are common in CHS patients.
All-Time High: Majority Of Republicans Support Pot Legalization For First Time
He was repeatedly admitted to various psychiatric hospitals and sentenced to jail multiple times. He had at least four periods of homelessness, and lived in shelters for months at a time, Gayle said. The new law also provides money to study the dangers of high-potency THC products and to pay for messages and media campaigns to educate the public about cannabis dangers. If the endocannabinoid system gets disrupted by excessive use of cannabinoids, the stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system may occur. Stress is regulated and controlled partially by the endocannabinoid system, and the HPA axis is the main neuroendocrine system activated by the stress response and therefore cannabinoids 30.
- Now, the mean concentration has risen to 15% to 30% and it’s possible to make extracts with 99% THC.
- Kerby is the only certified substance use disorder professional who sees patients on Children’s main campus in Seattle.
- It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
Treatment of CHS typically occurs during the hyperemetic phase, which often requires hospitalization due to the severity of symptoms. In this phase, patients frequently experience intractable nausea and vomiting that is unresponsive to conventional antiemetic medications 33. As noted earlier, hot baths or showers provide temporary relief for many patients. Warm stimulation is hypothesized to transiently activate transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) in the hypothalamus which would otherwise be downregulated by chronic cannabis use 34. However, it is essential healthcare providers also address the risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, as these conditions are common in CHS patients and may lead to acute renal failure 27,35.
Dr. Aimee Moulin, an emergency room Substance abuse physician at UC-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, says she has seen a rise in the number of cases since California voters legalized recreational marijuana last November. She expects to see another increase after commercial sales are permitted starting in January. “Who wants to be told you can’t smoke marijuana, when you think marijuana can help? ” said Beard, while recovering from a marijuana-related vomiting episode at a University of Iowa hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, in October.
The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The funder was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article, or the decision to submit it for publication. Although one might consider the use of more powerful CB1 antagonists for CHS, these are unlikely to be of benefit. Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) has an unusual profile as a neutral antagonist of CB1 at low doses, but an agonist at much higher doses (Thomas et al., 2005). Although selective breeding has produced plants with 93% of total cannabinoid content as THCV (de Meijer and Hammond, 2016), residual THC content remains the rule, as THCA synthase produces both the pentyl and propyl molecules in the cannabis plant.