Eight US patients with cannabinoid hyperemesis averaged 19 years of cannabis use before symptoms developed
Eight cannabinoid hyperemesis patients averaged 19 years from first cannabis use to symptom onset, had 7 ER visits on average, and four of five who quit cannabis recovered completely.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Eight patients with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) were identified at a single US hospital between January and August 2009. The syndrome had previously been described mainly in Australian patients.
Patients averaged 32.4 years old, and the mean interval between first cannabis use and development of recurrent vomiting was 19 years. The burden on healthcare was substantial: patients averaged 7.1 emergency room visits, 5 clinic visits, and 3.1 hospital admissions for this syndrome. All had visited at least one other hospital.
All patients experienced vomiting every 3 hours on average, took about 5 baths or showers per day (totaling 5 hours of bathing daily), and had abdominal pain. Seven took hot baths and seven experienced excessive thirst.
Four of five patients who stopped cannabis recovered. The three who continued using despite medical advice continued to have symptoms. One recovered patient who resumed cannabis experienced symptom recurrence.
Key Numbers
8 patients, mean age 32.4 years. Mean 19 years from first cannabis use to symptoms. Mean 7.1 ER visits, 5.0 clinic visits, 3.1 admissions. Vomiting every 3 hours. 5 baths/showers per day (5 hours total). 4/5 who quit recovered.
How They Did This
Retrospective case series of 8 patients identified at William Beaumont Hospital (Michigan) from January to August 2009 based on chronic cannabis use, unexplained recurrent vomiting, and compulsive bathing. Chart review with follow-up from subsequent visits and patient interviews.
Why This Research Matters
This US case series confirmed that CHS was not limited to Australian populations and documented the extensive healthcare utilization and long latency period before symptom onset.
The Bigger Picture
The long latency period (nearly two decades) between cannabis use initiation and CHS onset suggested that the syndrome was not simply a dose-response phenomenon and that chronic neuroadaptive changes likely contributed.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small case series from a single hospital. Retrospective design with potential recall bias. No comparison group or prevalence estimate. Self-reported cannabis use history.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why does CHS take an average of 19 years to develop?
- ?What biological changes occur over decades of cannabis use that eventually trigger the hyperemesis syndrome?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 19 years average from first cannabis use to CHS symptom onset
- Evidence Grade:
- Case series of 8 patients from a single center with follow-up data on cannabis cessation outcomes.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2010. CHS has since been widely recognized in emergency departments across the US.
- Original Title:
- The cannabis hyperemesis syndrome characterized by persistent nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and compulsive bathing associated with chronic marijuana use: a report of eight cases in the United States.
- Published In:
- Digestive diseases and sciences, 55(11), 3113-9 (2010)
- Authors:
- Soriano-Co, Maria, Batke, Mihaela, Cappell, Mitchell S
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00455
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for cannabinoid hyperemesis to develop?
In this case series, patients averaged 19 years of cannabis use before developing symptoms. This long latency period suggests the syndrome develops from cumulative, chronic effects.
Does quitting cannabis cure cannabinoid hyperemesis?
Four of five patients who stopped cannabis use recovered completely. One patient who resumed cannabis experienced symptom recurrence, confirming the causal relationship.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- cannabis-cardiovascular-heart-risk-stroke
- cannabis-heart-cardiovascular-risk
- coughing-up-stuff-after-quitting-weed
- lung-recovery-after-quitting-smoking-weed
- lung-recovery-quitting-weed
- quitting-weed-female-hormones
- quitting-weed-weight-gain-loss-diet-appetite
- sex-after-quitting-weed
- weed-DUI-driving-impaired-cannabis-laws
- weed-acne-skin
- weed-fertility-sperm
- weed-gut-digestion-problems
- weed-heart-health
- weed-testosterone-levels
- why-does-weed-make-you-hungry-munchies
- why-does-weed-make-food-taste-better
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00455APA
Soriano-Co, Maria; Batke, Mihaela; Cappell, Mitchell S. (2010). The cannabis hyperemesis syndrome characterized by persistent nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and compulsive bathing associated with chronic marijuana use: a report of eight cases in the United States.. Digestive diseases and sciences, 55(11), 3113-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-010-1131-7
MLA
Soriano-Co, Maria, et al. "The cannabis hyperemesis syndrome characterized by persistent nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and compulsive bathing associated with chronic marijuana use: a report of eight cases in the United States.." Digestive diseases and sciences, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-010-1131-7
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The cannabis hyperemesis syndrome characterized by persisten..." RTHC-00455. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/soriano-co-2010-the-cannabis-hyperemesis-syndrome
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.