A lot of people are using marijuana either medically or recreationally right now. Many feel that it’s helping them, whether it has to do with pain management, nausea, mood changes, or anything like that. If stopping cannabis feels overwhelming—especially if you’ve been using it daily for months or years—consider reaching out to a doctor or counselor for help. There are resources for tapering off, managing withdrawal symptoms, and replacing cannabis with non-THC alternatives where appropriate. The most important step is to completely stop using all forms of THC , including flower, vapes, edibles, tinctures, and concentrates. Some emergency departments now recognize CHS and may counsel patients directly to discontinue cannabis use as part of treatment.

Medical

Nineteen patients were identified with chronic cannabis abuse and a cyclical vomiting illness. For legal and ethical reasons, all patients were counselled to cease all cannabis abuse. Follow up was provided with serial urine drug screen analysis and regular clinical consultation to chart the clinical course. Of the 19 patients, five refused consent and were lost to follow up and five were excluded on the basis of confounders. The remaining nine cases are presented here and compared with a published case of psychogenic vomiting. We conclude that chronic cannabis abuse was the cause of the cyclical vomiting illness in all cases, including the previously described case of psychogenic vomiting..

Is CHS a genetic condition?

• In 2021, the global annual prevalence of cannabis use among youth aged 15–16 years was 5.3%, with Europe reporting a higher rate of 11.0% 1.
• Meanwhile, in the United States, cannabis use among 19–22-year-olds reached a historic high, with 42.6% reporting use in the past year 2.
• These could be signs of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) , a condition that affects some long-term cannabis users in a way that seems to contradict everything we typically hear about THC.
• Motility, mucosal hemostasis, and the release of chemical mediators such as histamine, prostaglandin, acetylcholine, and serotonin 68.

And the tricky part is that they didn’t have any of the signs or the findings that you would most typically expect of abdominal pain. But there is also a subset of people who respond poorly to marijuana. What makes it such an odd condition is that it is not readily apparent; it’s almost made to be missed. CHS is considered uncommon but is increasingly reported, particularly in areas with legal access to high-potency cannabis products. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) is a rare but very real side effect of long-term, heavy cannabis use.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in Pregnancy: A Case Report and Treatment Overview

However, CHS presents a unique challenge for regular cannabis users, and understanding this syndrome is crucial for recognizing its signs and seeking proper treatment. If you have CHS and don’t stop using, your symptoms like nausea and vomiting are likely to come back. They may also prescribe antipsychotic medications such as haloperidol (Haldol) or olanzapine (Zyprexa) to help you calm down as you switch to the recovery phase. If you have symptoms, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask for your detailed medical history.

The condition is frequently misdiagnosed as food poisoning or gastrointestinal disease, making it harder to treat. The only consistently effective treatment is complete cessation of cannabis use , which usually leads to full symptom resolution within days to weeks. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a condition that you might get if you’ve regularly smoked weed or used marijuana in some other form for a long time. CHS causes you to have repeated episodes of vomiting, severe nausea, stomach pain, and dehydration.

They’ll also examine your abdomen and may order tests to rule out what is chs weed other causes of vomiting. If you use cannabis often and frequently experience vomiting and nausea, you should tell a healthcare professional. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a rare condition that develops in people who use cannabis frequently over a period of several years. The patient responded well to supportive care and cessation of cannabis use. Initial follow-up was every month, where the patient was seen by clinicians and counsellors, both of whom reported good compliance. The patient remained symptom-free, with no further hospital visits 6 months after discharge.

• It’s made even more complicated when plenty of these symptoms may overlap with other medical conditions.
• If you think you have CHS or cannabis use disorder, talk to a healthcare provider.
• This approach is often enhanced by personalized feedback and education regarding the treatment seeker’s patterns of cannabis use, becoming motivational enhancement therapy.
• CHS usually starts after years of using marijuana many times a week.
• Every effort was made to include the most up-to-date and comprehensive literature available up to March 2025.
• Patients are still able to tolerate a liquid diet in this prodromal phase.

CHS and Responsible Cannabis Use

Nearly 20 years after CHS’s first report, current acute and long-term treatment strategies remain unfamiliar to many https://ecosoberhouse.com/ practitioners. And primary care providers, are vital in diagnosing and treating CHS as its prevalence rises. This will provide more data on CHS and facilitate the development of targeted novel therapeutic interventions for this condition in the future. Also, future longitudinal research exploring genetic predisposition and biomarkers could aid in diagnosing and treating CHS.

Public Health Considerations

Conventional antiemetic such as metoclopramide, ondansetron, prochlorperazine, and promethazine have consistently been ineffective or shown minimal symptom relief 4,8,19,20. Haloperidol has been utilized off-label for its antiemetic properties in treatment of CHS and Sober living house does have successful case reports at recommended doses of 2.5-5 mg intravenously although none of the patients were pregnant 18,21-23. Olanzapine and droperidol have been investigated although to a much lesser degree 19. The physical and psychological impacts of CHS may lead to an increase in substance use. Cannabis may be used as a coping mechanism, despite its potential to worsen CHS symptoms.