A review finds that cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is increasingly diagnosed in adolescents, with diagnostic challenges leading to delays and unnecessary medical investigations in pediatric patients.
Pediatricians, pediatric emergency physicians, parents of teenage cannabis users
CHS in adolescents is growing but remains underrecognized in pediatric practice
What the researchers found
CHS is increasingly being diagnosed in adolescents despite limited data in the pediatric population. The review highlights diagnostic challenges specific to younger patients, the limited efficacy of standard anti-emetic therapies (which often fail in CHS), and the central role of cannabis cessation as the only definitive treatment. Awareness among pediatricians and emergency physicians remains low.
Why it matters
With high rates of cannabis use among teenagers and increasing potency of cannabis products, CHS in adolescents is likely to become more common. The review highlights that pediatric cases often go through extensive and unnecessary diagnostic workups before CHS is recognized, adding cost and delay.
The numbers in context
CHS first described in 2004. Increasing incidence parallels cannabis legalization. High rate of cannabis use among youth. Standard anti-emetics often ineffective. Cannabis cessation is the definitive treatment.
How the study worked
Narrative review synthesizing epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of CHS specifically in the pediatric population.
What this study cannot tell us
Narrative review with no new data. Pediatric-specific data on CHS remain scarce. The pathophysiology is still not fully understood. Cannot estimate true prevalence in the adolescent population.
How to read the evidence
Moderate evidence for CHS as a clinical entity, though pediatric-specific data remain limited.
When this study was published
2025 narrative review focused on CHS in the pediatric population.
The bigger picture
CHS in adolescents represents a growing intersection between youth cannabis use trends and pediatric emergency medicine. As cannabis products become more potent and accessible, pediatricians and ER doctors need to include CHS in their differential diagnosis for adolescents presenting with cyclic vomiting, especially those who report cannabis use.
Questions still open
- What is the actual incidence of CHS in adolescents? Does higher-potency cannabis increase CHS risk in younger users? Are adolescents able to achieve sustained cannabis cessation needed for symptom resolution?
Common questions
Can teenagers get cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?
How is CHS treated in teenagers?
Read the original research
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in Adolescents: A Narrative Review.
Pediatric reports, 17(4)
Citation
Pietrantoni, Camilla; Margiotta, Gaia; Marano, Giuseppe; Mazza, Marianna; Proli, Francesco; Stella, Giuseppe; Cherubino, Alessia; Viozzi, Francesca; Guida, Fabiana Rita; Rendeli, Claudia; Pola, Roberto; Gaetani, Eleonora; Giorgio, Valentina. (2025). Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in Adolescents: A Narrative Review.. Pediatric reports, 17(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/pediatric17040075
Explore the wider topic
- Surviving 4/20 Sober: A Practical Survival Guide
- CBT for Cannabis Recovery: How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Works
- The Cannabis Relapse Cycle: Quit, Feel Good, Get Complacent, Repeat
- Cold Turkey vs Tapering: Which Way to Quit Weed
- Dating Sober After Years of Being High: What Nobody Tells You
- Exercise as Medicine: Working Out After Quitting Weed
- Grieving Weed Itself: Mourning the Loss of a Companion
- How to Help Someone Quit Weed (When They're Not Ready)
- How to Quit Weed: A No-Judgment Step by Step Guide
- How to Talk to Your Teenager About Weed (Without Losing Them)
- Journaling Through Weed Withdrawal: Why Writing Helps You Heal
- My Kid's Friends Smoke Weed: A Parent's Guide
- MA vs SMART Recovery vs Therapy: Comparing Your Options
- Meditation and Mindfulness for Weed Withdrawal
- I Smoke Weed But Don't Want My Kids To: Navigating the Hypocrisy
- Your Partner Still Smokes Weed: How to Navigate It
- Quitting Weed While Your Partner Still Smokes
- The Pink Cloud Effect: When Quitting Weed Feels Too Good
- How to Quit Smoking Weed Cold Turkey: What to Expect
- Quit Weed or Cut Back: Which Is Right for You?
- I Quit Weed and Regret It: An Honest Look at Non-Linear Recovery
- Quitting Weed in Your 20s: Career, Social Life, Starting Over
- Quitting Weed in Your 30s: It's Not Too Late
- Quitting Weed After 10+ Years of Daily Use: What to Expect
- Quitting Weed During a Life Crisis: Divorce, Job Loss, and Other Bad Timing
- Quitting Weed and Working Out: How Exercise Helps Recovery
- Quitting Weed After Loss: When Grief Comes Flooding Back
- Quitting Weed When It's Legal Everywhere
- Quitting Weed as a Parent: Why It Is the Hardest and Most Important Quit
- Weed Withdrawal Success Stories: Real People Who Made It Through
- Quitting Weed as a Teen or Young Adult
- Quitting Weed Long Distance: When You Can't Remove Triggers
- I Relapsed on Weed. Now What? A Practical Reset Guide
- I Relapsed After Quitting Weed: What Now?
- Should I Quit Weed? A Decision Framework (Not a Lecture)
- Quitting Weed at Music Festivals and Concerts: A Sober Survival Guide
- Supplements That Actually Help with Weed Withdrawal (And Ones That Don't)
- My Kid Is Smoking Weed: A Parent's Guide
- How to Tell Your Friends You're Quitting Weed
- Relapse Prevention Plan for Cannabis: A CBT-Based Approach
- Why Weed Relapse Happens: The Science Behind Going Back
- Replacing the Ritual: What to Do When You Quit Weed
- How Cannabis Damaged My Relationships: Before and After
- Social Media Detox from Weed Content