Emergency department visits for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome among adolescents showed an increasing trend, reflecting growing cannabis use in younger populations.
What the researchers found
Researchers analyzed emergency department encounter data to assess trends in visits for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) specifically among adolescents. CHS, which causes severe cyclic vomiting in chronic cannabis users, has historically been considered an adult condition.
The data showed an increasing trend in adolescent ED visits for CHS. This rise likely reflects both growing cannabis use among young people and increasing clinician awareness of the diagnosis.
The emergence of CHS as a recognizable condition in adolescents is particularly concerning because it indicates that some teens are using cannabis frequently and heavily enough to develop a condition associated with chronic, sustained use.
Why it matters
CHS in adolescents signals a pattern of heavy, frequent cannabis use in a population whose brains are still developing. Rising ED visits for this condition suggest that teen cannabis use is not just experimental for some youth but has reached levels intense enough to cause a condition previously seen mainly in adult chronic users.
The numbers in context
Emergency department visits for CHS among adolescents showed an increasing trend over the study period.
How the study worked
This was a cross-sectional analysis of emergency department encounter data assessing trends in CHS diagnoses among adolescent patients. Researchers examined visit frequencies over time to identify whether the condition was becoming more common in this age group.
What this study cannot tell us
ED data relies on accurate diagnosis coding, and CHS may be undercounted due to misdiagnosis or unfamiliarity. Increased visits could partly reflect better recognition rather than a true increase in incidence. The study assessed ED encounters, not individual patients, so repeat visitors could inflate numbers.
How to read the evidence
A cross-sectional analysis of ED encounter data providing moderate trend-level evidence, with limitations in diagnostic coding accuracy.
The bigger picture
The rising prevalence of CHS in adolescents sits at the intersection of two major public health trends: increasing cannabis potency and availability, and the challenge of preventing heavy use among young people. This data point adds urgency to prevention efforts targeting teen cannabis use and to clinical education about recognizing CHS in younger patients.
Common questions
Can teenagers get cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?
Does this mean teen cannabis use is getting worse?
Read the original research
Emergency Department Visits for Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome Among Adolescents.
JAMA network open, 8(7), e2520492
Citation
Toce, Michael S; Monuteaux, Michael C; Fishman, Michael D; Hudgins, Joel D. (2025). Emergency Department Visits for Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome Among Adolescents.. JAMA network open, 8(7), e2520492. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.20492