Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, colloquially known as "scromiting," is becoming increasingly common in emergency departments across the United States, with cases rising 16% between October 2025 and May 2026. What's particularly alarming is that this severe condition, characterized by intense nausea, abdominal pain, and uncontrollable vomiting, is now appearing in people who have used cannabis for less than a year, a shift that medical experts attribute to the dramatically increased potency of today's cannabis products.

What Is Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome and Why Is It Suddenly Appearing in New Users?

Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome was once considered a condition that developed only after years of heavy marijuana use. The condition causes what emergency medicine doctors describe as "scromiting," a contraction of screaming and vomiting, along with severe abdominal pain and nausea. However, recent data shows that CHS is now turning up in people within their first year of cannabis use, a dramatic departure from historical patterns.

The exact mechanism behind why CHS is developing faster remains unclear, but medical experts point to one obvious culprit: the extraordinary increase in THC potency in modern cannabis products. When marijuana was commonly used in the 1990s, typical flower contained around 3% THC. Today, finding cannabis with less than 10% THC is nearly impossible, and concentrated products like dabs, oils, and vapes contain far higher levels of the psychoactive compound.

"When I started my career as an emergency doctor in the 1990s, I never saw cases of cannabis poisoning; there was no such thing as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome. Marijuana in those days was just weed, low potency, 3% THC flower rolled in a joint or blunt. Today, low-potency weed is long gone," explained Dr. Roneet Lev, former Chief Medical Officer of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and an expert in cannabis-related illness.

Dr. Roneet Lev, Former Chief Medical Officer, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy

How Severe Is the Problem in Emergency Departments?

The scale of cannabis-related emergency visits has grown dramatically over the past two decades. In San Diego, emergency department visits with marijuana-related diagnoses jumped from 1,108 cases in 2006 to 10,302 cases in 2014, and then to 13,525 cases in 2019, averaging 37 cases per day. California emergency departments saw a 53% increase in cannabis-related visits between 2016 and 2019 alone.

According to medical professionals working in emergency settings, cannabis-related illnesses are now a daily occurrence. Dr. Lev noted that every shift in emergency departments across America involves treating cannabis-related conditions, and the problem extends far beyond hyperemesis syndrome.

What Other Cannabis-Related Conditions Are Doctors Seeing?

While cannabis hyperemesis syndrome captures headlines, emergency physicians are treating a broader spectrum of cannabis-related illnesses. The most common conditions include:

• Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: Characterized by severe, uncontrollable vomiting and abdominal pain, often requiring hospitalization and symptom management in the emergency department.
• Cannabis-Induced Psychosis: A mental health emergency where THC exposure triggers psychotic symptoms, exacerbated by the fact that THC is lipophilic, meaning it is absorbed by fat tissue, and the brain is a fatty organ where THC accumulates.
• Cardiovascular Symptoms: Including elevated blood pressure and rapid heart rate, which require emergency treatment and monitoring.
• Severe Nausea and Vomiting: Beyond hyperemesis syndrome, acute cannabis use can trigger debilitating nausea that requires emergency intervention.

The mental health crisis is particularly concerning. Dr. Lev emphasized that cannabis-induced psychosis is now a major driver of emergency department mental health visits, and the problem is compounded by a shortage of mental health beds, leaving some patients living in emergency departments for weeks while waiting for psychiatric placement.

Why Are High-Potency Cannabis Products More Dangerous?

The shift toward ultra-concentrated cannabis products has fundamentally changed the risk profile of cannabis use. Modern dispensaries stock an array of products that were unimaginable two decades ago, including dabs, shatters, oils, concentrates, vapes, sodas, candies, and suppositories. These high-potency THC products behave differently in the body than traditional smoked marijuana, and experts compare their effects to stimulants like methamphetamine.

Unlike opioid overdoses, which can be reversed with naloxone, there is no antidote for cannabis or THC poisoning. Patients must wait for the cannabis to be metabolized and removed from their bodies, a process that can take hours or even days. In the meantime, emergency physicians can only treat symptoms, such as using antipsychotic medications for psychosis or managing blood pressure, heart rate, nausea, and vomiting with supportive care.

What Do Experts Say About Cannabis Safety and Medical Regulation?

Medical professionals emphasize a critical gap between how cannabis is regulated and how traditional pharmaceuticals are controlled. While FDA-approved medications like opioids face strict prescribing standards, oversight, and accountability measures, cannabis products remain largely unregulated despite being marketed as medicine without robust scientific evidence.

"It is medically safer to take regulated and prescribed opioids such as hydrocodone or oxycodone under a doctor's supervision than unregulated high-dose THC products with various contaminants and adulterants," stated Dr. Roneet Lev.

Dr. Roneet Lev, Former Chief Medical Officer, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy

Dr. Lev noted that when physicians prescribe medications, they follow a standard of care that includes obtaining a complete medical history, checking vital signs, asking about other medications and allergies, and performing a physical exam. Medical records are required, and a physician's license is at risk without proper documentation. In contrast, non-health professionals can recommend high-potency cannabis products with significant health risks without following any medical standards and with minimal accountability.

The irony is particularly stark given the current opioid crisis. As legitimate pain patients struggle to access prescribed opioids due to regulatory restrictions, the cannabis industry actively markets high-potency products to people with chronic pain, often positioning cannabis as a safer alternative despite the lack of rigorous medical evidence and the growing body of data on cannabis-related harms.

What Should Patients and Doctors Know About Cannabis Risks?

The surge in cannabis hyperemesis syndrome cases, particularly among new users, serves as a wake-up call for both patients and healthcare providers. The condition can be life-threatening, with reported deaths caused by electrolyte imbalances resulting from severe vomiting. The fact that CHS is now appearing in first-time users suggests that the potency of modern cannabis products poses risks that were not present when marijuana use was less common and products were far less concentrated.

For emergency physicians, the challenge is twofold: recognizing cannabis-related illnesses and managing symptoms without pharmaceutical reversal agents. For patients, the key takeaway is that cannabis, particularly high-potency products, carries real medical risks that are often downplayed in marketing and public discourse. The CDC's recent report on the 16% increase in CHS diagnoses validates warnings that medical experts have been sounding for years about the dangers of today's ultra-potent cannabis market.