In interviews with 24 people with CHS, positive perceptions of cannabis led many to contest their diagnosis and resist abstinence recommendations, instead trying alternative consumption methods or dose reductions.
Emergency physicians, gastroenterologists, and clinicians who encounter CHS patients who may resist diagnosis.
N = 24 patients contested diagnosis
What the researchers found
Participants contested CHS diagnoses because they believed cannabis was beneficial and helped with nausea, that claims about cannabis harms were part of medical conspiracy, and that their symptoms differed from CHS descriptions. They resisted abstinence by trying new routes of administration, different cannabis types, reduced frequency, or substituting other substances.
Why it matters
CHS diagnoses are increasing alongside rising cannabis use and potency. Understanding why patients resist diagnosis and treatment can help clinicians communicate more effectively with patients who hold strong positive beliefs about cannabis.
The numbers in context
N = 24 self-reported CHS patients. Participants described multiple strategies to continue cannabis use: new administration routes, specific cannabis types, reduced amounts or frequency, and substance substitution.
How the study worked
Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 24 individuals who self-reported having cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, analyzed through a narrative framework examining how symbolic meanings of cannabis shaped diagnosis and treatment experiences.
What this study cannot tell us
Self-reported CHS diagnosis without clinical confirmation. Small sample recruited through convenience/snowball sampling. Qualitative design cannot quantify how widespread these attitudes are among CHS patients.
How to read the evidence
Small qualitative study providing rich descriptive data on patient perspectives, but cannot establish prevalence of these attitudes or generalize broadly.
When this study was published
2025 publication
The bigger picture
This study illustrates a broader challenge in healthcare: when patients strongly identify with a substance or behavior, they may reject diagnoses that conflict with their beliefs. CHS is becoming a test case for how clinicians navigate patient autonomy and evidence-based treatment.
Questions still open
- What communication strategies are most effective for clinicians discussing CHS with patients who hold strong pro-cannabis beliefs? Do alternative consumption methods actually prevent CHS recurrence?
Common questions
Why did CHS patients resist their diagnosis?
What did patients do instead of quitting cannabis?
Read the original research
Contesting Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: How Narratives of Cannabis Shape Diagnosis Contestation and Treatment Resistance.
Qualitative health research, 35(8), 876-886
Citation
Copes, Heith; Webb, Megan; Valles, Jessica. (2025). Contesting Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: How Narratives of Cannabis Shape Diagnosis Contestation and Treatment Resistance.. Qualitative health research, 35(8), 876-886. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323241279079