A mysterious syndrome in which marijuana users get violently ill is starting to worry researchers

Although previously assumed to be very rare, CHS may affect a large number of frequent marijuana users, a new study suggests.

A Perplexing Marijuana Side Effect Relieved by Hot Showers

By the time Thomas Hodorowski made the connection between his marijuana habit and the bouts of pain and vomiting that left him incapacitated every few weeks, he had been to the emergency room dozens of times, tried anti-nausea drugs, anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants, endured an upper endoscopy procedure and two colonoscopies, seen a psychiatrist and had his appendix and gallbladder removed. The only way to get relief for the nausea and pain was to take a hot shower.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome is characterized by chronic cannabis use, cyclic episodes of nausea and vomiting, and frequent hot bathing. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome occurs by an unknown mechanism.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: What you need to know

Doctors think that the availability of cannabis with stronger concentrations of THC may be behind the prevalence of the disease. Anti-nausea medicines do not seem to have much effect, but one of the telltale signs of CHS is that frequent hot showers can bring relief. Still, one can only spend so much time in a hot shower, and doing so could lead to further dehydration for those who already have been vomiting.

Many heavy pot users suffer severe nausea—and they’ve all landed on the same weird solution

But there's got to be a better way.

Rare And Mysterious Vomiting Illness Linked To Heavy Marijuana Use

Doctors say it's difficult to treat the condition. There is no cure other than to quit using marijuana, and many patients are skeptical that cannabis is making them sick, so they keep using it and their vomiting episodes continue. 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. Patients may need intravenous hydration and hospital stays until the symptoms subside. "That's really frustrating as an emergency physician," says Moulin. "I really like to make people feel better."

Sweating it Out

Why marijuana, a drug sometimes used to fight nausea, should in some people produce cannabinoid hyperemesis (as the pot smoker’s vomiting syndrome was called) is not clear. Cannabinoids have been shown to slow down the gut. One theory is that too much cannabinoid in the system slows it down too much, leading to nausea and vomiting. Oddly, virtually all the people who experience the nausea feel much better while they are taking a hot shower.

When Cannabis Makes You Projectile Vomit

This phenomenon appears to be on the rise—and research suggests an improbable treatment involving hot sauce helps.

Will Smoking Pot Make Me Vomit Forever?

Cyclic vomiting syndrome is on the rise among adults, and marijuana use may be partially to blame.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

Marijuana, or cannabis, is commonly thought to be a benign substance without adverse effects; however, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a sequela of chronic cannabis use.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: The Anti-Munchies

"The munchies” is a common term familiar to both casual and chronic marijuana users that amusingly describes the appetite-stimulating effect of cannabinoids. In medicine, this effect is desired and often therapeutic in patients experiencing nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy or loss of appetite from a chronic disease. Paradoxically, as recreational cannabinoid use continues to increase, so too does a relatively new phenomenon known as Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), which can be thought of as “the anti-munchies.”

Clues emerging to mysterious cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome

Tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component in cannabis, is fat-soluble and can stay in the body for months. One theory posits that the body releases a build-up of fat-soluble chemicals during times of stress that interact with the hypothalamus, a region of the brain responsible for maintaining physiological cycles, disrupting temperature regulation and brain–gut connections.

Switching to Edibles Could Alleviate Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome – Study

In the article entitled Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome in Palliative Care: A Case Study and Narrative Review, Dr Howard reported that the patient stopped using inhaled concentrated cannabis extracts, but continued to use oral whole plant-based edible cannabis, which eliminated the cannabis hyperemesis syndrome while sustaining the beneficial effects on other symptoms.