Medical professionals across the UK are raising the alarm over a dramatic increase in hospitalisations linked to a severe and distressing condition affecting long-term cannabis users. Known as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), the illness has been nicknamed 'scromiting' for its hallmark symptoms of screaming and vomiting.
What is Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome?
This serious condition strikes daily cannabis users, often within a day of consumption, leading to relentless waves of nausea, intense abdominal pain, and vomiting that can occur four to five times every hour. Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic describe the pain as so intense that sufferers scream while being sick.
Hospital visits attributed to CHS have skyrocketed fourfold in just six years. A recent study found that in 2016, roughly 4.4 out of every 100,000 emergency room visits were for this syndrome. By 2022, that figure had surged to 22.3 per 100,000 visits.
Rising Potency and Public Health Impact
Experts fear the problem is becoming more common, partly due to the soaring potency of modern cannabis. Levels of THC, the plant's primary psychoactive compound, have increased more than tenfold since the 1970s. With an estimated 17.7 million Americans using cannabis daily or near-daily, the pool of those at risk is significant.
A 2018 study suggested that nearly 33% of patients who smoke cannabis on 20 or more days per month develop symptoms of CHS. The condition gained formal recognition in October this year when the World Health Organization and the CDC assigned it a specific diagnosis code, enabling better tracking of cases.
"Our findings suggest that CHS could represent a costly and largely hidden public health problem," stated Dr Andrew Meltzer of George Washington University, who led a 2025 survey of over 1,000 CHS patients.
Diagnosis, Risks, and the Path to Recovery
Diagnosis can be challenging, as many patients do not connect their horrific symptoms to cannabis use, which can begin hours after consumption. This often leads to multiple costly emergency department visits before the correct cause is identified.
Those most at risk are people who have used marijuana for a decade or more, consume it at least weekly, and began using in adolescence. The syndrome can last up to 48 hours and, without treatment, may lead to severe dehydration, weight loss, tooth decay, and even injuries from scalding hot showers—a common but dangerous temporary relief method.
Tragically, at least eight deaths in the US have been linked to CHS. There is no FDA-approved treatment; care focuses on managing symptoms. In some severe cases, doctors have used antipsychotic medications like haloperidol.
The only known cure for CHS is to stop using cannabis entirely. "You may have symptoms for a few weeks after quitting," advise Cleveland Clinic doctors. "Over time, symptoms will disappear." This warning comes as 24 US states have legalised recreational cannabis use, highlighting the need for greater public awareness of its potential dangers.
