Nabilone successfully treated severe nausea from cannabis withdrawal
A 20-year-old woman with protracted nausea and vomiting from cannabis withdrawal was successfully treated with nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid, highlighting an uncommon withdrawal symptom.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
A 20-year-old woman developed protracted nausea and vomiting after abruptly stopping chronic cannabis use. This presentation was notable because nausea and vomiting are not included in the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for cannabis withdrawal syndrome and represent an uncommon symptom pattern.
The patient was successfully treated with nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid approved for chemotherapy-related nausea. This approach is consistent with growing evidence supporting agonist replacement therapy for cannabis withdrawal, similar to nicotine replacement for smoking cessation.
Key Numbers
One patient, age 20. Protracted nausea and vomiting secondary to cannabis withdrawal. Successfully treated with nabilone.
How They Did This
Single case report documenting a 20-year-old woman with cannabis withdrawal presenting as protracted nausea and vomiting, treated with nabilone.
Why This Research Matters
This case expanded the recognized symptom profile of cannabis withdrawal to include protracted nausea and vomiting, a presentation that could be confused with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (which occurs during active use, not withdrawal). The distinction has opposite treatment implications.
The Bigger Picture
Cannabis withdrawal can cause both the commonly recognized symptoms (irritability, sleep disturbance, appetite loss) and less typical presentations like severe nausea. The successful use of nabilone adds to the evidence for synthetic cannabinoid agonist therapy for withdrawal management.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single case report. The protracted nausea presentation may be rare. Long-term outcomes were not reported. Cannot generalize to all withdrawal patients.
Questions This Raises
- ?How common is nausea as a cannabis withdrawal symptom?
- ?Should nausea and vomiting be added to the DSM criteria for cannabis withdrawal?
- ?Would nabilone be effective for other withdrawal symptoms beyond GI complaints?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Nausea and vomiting from cannabis withdrawal is not in DSM-5 but does occur
- Evidence Grade:
- Single case report. Highlights an uncommon symptom presentation and treatment approach.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2014.
- Original Title:
- Nabilone therapy for cannabis withdrawal presenting as protracted nausea and vomiting.
- Published In:
- BMJ case reports, 2014 (2014)
- Authors:
- Lam, Philip W, Frost, David W
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00818
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can stopping cannabis cause nausea?
This case showed that abruptly stopping chronic cannabis use can cause protracted nausea and vomiting. While this is not included in the official DSM-5 withdrawal criteria, it represents a recognized uncommon presentation.
How is this different from cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?
CHS causes vomiting during active cannabis use. This was the opposite: nausea from stopping cannabis. The distinction matters because CHS requires cannabis cessation, while withdrawal nausea may benefit from temporary cannabinoid replacement therapy.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00818APA
Lam, Philip W; Frost, David W. (2014). Nabilone therapy for cannabis withdrawal presenting as protracted nausea and vomiting.. BMJ case reports, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2014-205287
MLA
Lam, Philip W, et al. "Nabilone therapy for cannabis withdrawal presenting as protracted nausea and vomiting.." BMJ case reports, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2014-205287
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Nabilone therapy for cannabis withdrawal presenting as protr..." RTHC-00818. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/lam-2014-nabilone-therapy-for-cannabis
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.