'Scromiting,' a strange condition associated with long-term marijuana use, is increasing

A TikTok mother described her experience with relentless vomiting caused by cannabis as being more painful than childbirth. She recalled screaming and crying in desperation, pleading for relief.

Social media users have coined the term scromiting to describe the combination of intense vomiting and screaming. Medically, the condition is known as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), and cases are increasing in the United States.

Frequent cannabis users, including teenagers, are showing up in emergency departments with severe abdominal pain and uncontrollable vomiting. Dr. Sam Wang, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at Childrens Hospital Colorado, reports, Patients are writhing, clutching their stomachs, and vomiting repeatedly for hours. Some try scalding hot showers at home, but it rarely helps.

Treatment involves anti-nausea medications and intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration. Patients often undergo extensive testingblood and urine tests, CT scans, endoscopy, and gastric emptying studiesto rule out other causes. Some adolescents have multiple ER visits within months due to persistent symptoms.

Delaying treatment can be dangerous. Whether its CHS or another illness causing repeated vomiting, prolonged episodes can lead to electrolyte imbalances, shock, and organ failure, Wang emphasized.

CHS was first described in 2004 by Australian researchers who observed chronic marijuana users experiencing repeated abdominal pain and vomiting. Symptoms disappeared when cannabis use stopped and returned when it resumed. Many patients used extremely hot baths or showers to relieve their discomfort, a method that has persisted as a common home remedy.

The reason hot showers help remains unclear. One theory suggests that the extreme heat distracts the bodys pain receptors from the discomfort caused by THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. Ironically, THC can also reduce nausea and vomiting in other contexts, such as chemotherapy, though its effectiveness varies.

Experts note that CHS may be influenced by the increasing potency of THC. THC levels in marijuana have risen significantly over the past decades, from 45% in the 1990s to 1520% in current Colorado products, Wang said. However, not all heavy users develop CHS, and the exact risk factors remain unknown.

Data indicate a growing national problem. A 2020 study found that nearly 20% of patients hospitalized for cyclical vomiting also used cannabis. After recreational marijuana legalization in Colorado in 2012, over 800,000 cases of cannabis-related vomiting were reported between 2013 and 2018, a 29% increase. Emergency visits among adolescents aged 1321 rose more than tenfold from 2016 to 2023. Adults aged 1835 also saw a sharp increase during the 20202021 pandemic years.

Historically, tracking CHS has been difficult due to the absence of an official medical diagnosis. On October 1, 2025, the U.S. introduced code R11.16 for CHS, and the World Health Organization adopted the same classification, allowing for more accurate research worldwide.

Experts believe these changes will enable better understanding of this unusual condition and improve treatment approaches for those affected.

Author: Sophia Brooks