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Screaming + vomiting: ‘Scromiting’ is the mysterious cannabis syndrome becoming more common

Recently, a University of Illinois Chicago study found diagnosed CHS cases jumped sevenfold from 2016 to 2022, peaking at 33 cases per 100,000 ER visits during the COVID pandemic.
Professor James Swartz attributes the rise to state cannabis legalization and high-potency cannabis and concentrates, noting most CHS patients are long-term daily users.
Patients diagnosed with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome report relentless morning vomiting lasting days with dry heaves and body aches, temporary relief only from hot showers, and harms including 50-pound weight loss and ruined teeth, sometimes called 'scromiting'.
Clinicians and emergency departments should consider CHS, as the rise mainly affects young adults aged 35, who often require fluids and stabilization, with abstinence as the only known cure.
Research remains in its infancy, prompting calls to study mechanisms including pesticides and terpenes, while the World Health Organization only recently recognized CHS and some cannabis advocates remain skeptical.

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