There's a strange and sad trend in emergency rooms across the US: young people arriving at the hospital doubled over in pain, screaming and vomiting for hours. This phenomenon is known as “scromiting” – a mixture of “screaming” and “vomiting” – as doctors try to get a clearer picture of what is causing it.
The condition, officially known as cannabinoid vomiting syndrome (CHS), where “hyperemesis” means severe vomiting, was once considered rare. Now it happens so often that some emergency personnel see a case almost every day.
Researchers say the rise is closely tied to the legalization of cannabis and, more importantly, how dramatically THC levels have risen. What makes CHS even stranger is that cannabis is widely known to have the exact opposite effect: relieving nausea and pain.
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What is modesty and who is affected by it?
When patients with CHS present to emergency departments, they curl up, clutch their stomachs, and are unable to stop vomiting, often for several hours. Extreme discomfort and loud vomiting are often accompanied by frantic screaming, which is why the slang term “squeeze” has taken hold.
For many years, CHS was thought to be extremely rare. Doctors now say they see it all the time, especially among severely ill patients. hemp users. Some teenagers went to the emergency room five times in two months, said Sam Wang, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist and toxicologist at Children's Hospital Colorado. CNN. It can become dangerous if vomiting is not treated. Prolonged episodes can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, shock and organ failure, he said.
New research shows just how quickly cases are rising. One national analysis published in Jama Network found that emergency department visits among adolescents (ages 13 to 21) increased more than 10-fold between 2016 and 2023. A separate study published by the same journal looked at adults aged 18 to 35 and found a sharp uptick during the pandemic, with rates remaining high since then.
The term “cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome” was first coined by Australian researchers in 2004. Back then, the idea that cannabis could cause severe illness sounded almost counterintuitive. This is a daily reality for emergency physicians today.
Exponential THC Concentration May Cause Increase in CHS Cases
The simplest explanation for the surge is potency. In the 1990s, the average joint contained 1 to 3 milligrams THC. Now the same joint can contain 18 milligrams. According to a study from Missouri Medicine, it is not uncommon for patients to report consuming 2,000 milligrams of THC per day.
The exact mechanism of action of CHS still remains a mystery. Many scientists suspect that endocannabinoid receptors in the gut are involved. The irony is that THC has long been used to treat nausea, especially in people undergoing chemotherapy.
But research into cannabis as a pain reliever has yielded unclear results, suggesting we still don't fully understand how cannabinoids interact with the body.
Quitting THC is the best treatment
In the hospital, treatment is quite simple: anti-nausea medications and intravenous fluids to stabilize patients and rehydrate their. The only long-term solution that doctors agree on is to stop using cannabis. Symptoms usually go away when people quit smoking and often return when they start again, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
At home, many people resort to very hot baths or showers to stop vomiting. Experts suggest that because THC affects the body's pain receptors, the intense heat creates a competing sensation that interrupts the pain cycle, offering temporary relief.
For many years, CHS was difficult to track because there was no official medical code for it. According to CNNThat changed on October 1, 2025, when US health officials added one case to their records. The World Health Organization has adopted the same classification, which should help researchers finally gather consistent global data. With more accurate numbers, scientists hope to better understand why skoromiting occurs and how to prevent it.
This article does not contain medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
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