Mysterious marijuana-linked vomiting disorder gets official WHO code as ER cases jump

OG article by Deirdre Bardolf

December 1, 2025

The World Health Organization's October update grants cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS)—a debilitating vomiting disorder in chronic users—its first dedicated diagnostic code, effective October 1 and adopted by the CDC, enabling precise tracking amid surging emergency visits. Characterized by severe nausea, abdominal agony, dehydration, and "scromiting," CHS can escalate to seizures, kidney failure, or death, per NIH; relief oddly comes from hot showers, a hallmark defying typical anti-nausea cannabis lore.

A November 24 JAMA Network Open study reports a 650% ER spike from 2016 to pandemic peaks, persisting post-COVID, especially among 18-35-year-olds, linked to high-THC products (now 20%+ vs. 1990s' 5%). Beatriz Carlini of University of Washington lauds the code for quantifying this "growing problem," while therapist John Puls attributes rises to potent concentrates over 90% THC, debunking myths of CHS as fiction.

Causation eludes full grasp—possibly cannabinoid overload reversing anti-emetic effects—but cessation is sole cure; standard meds fail, yielding to capsaicin or haloperidol. Misdiagnosis as flu persists due to intermittency, luring users back until relapse, compounded by addiction resistance. Dr. Chris Buresh notes even minimal post-diagnosis use triggers episodes in sensitized individuals.

As legalization proliferates potent wares, enhanced surveillance via coding promises trend-spotting and education, countering underestimation. This formal nod validates sufferers' plight, urging public health campaigns on risks beyond recreation. By illuminating CHS's toll—from personal torment to systemic strain—it compels nuanced policy: celebrate therapeutic potentials while safeguarding against unchecked escalation, fostering informed consumption in an evolving landscape. Ultimately, recognition isn't alarmism but empowerment, turning invisible suffering into actionable insight for prevention and care.