Cannabinoid Hyperemesis (CHS)
Not a condition cannabis treats — a paradoxical syndrome it causes. Cyclic vomiting in heavy, long-term users.
Digestive Unsupported
What the research says
CHS is a real and increasingly recognized syndrome: recurring cycles of severe nausea and vomiting in people who use cannabis heavily (typically daily or near-daily, for months to years — reported use before onset ranges from about 6 months to 11 years). A 2017 systematic review of 183 reports found the hallmarks: regular cannabis use (100% of cases), cyclic nausea and vomiting (100%), resolution after stopping cannabis (96.8%), and — oddly — compulsive hot baths or showers that temporarily relieve symptoms (92.3%). The Rome IV diagnostic criteria require cannabis use plus persistent nausea/vomiting for at least 6 months.
The paradox is real: the same plant used to treat nausea in chemotherapy can, in some heavy users, cause disabling vomiting. The pathophysiology is not well understood, and there are no randomized trials of treatments — evidence comes from case series. What does work: stopping cannabis is the most successful management. In the acute phase, hot-water hydrotherapy, topical capsaicin cream, haloperidol, droperidol, benzodiazepines, propranolol, and aprepitant have all been reported to help.
The honest caveats
If you vomit cyclically and use cannabis heavily, CHS should be on the table — many patients go through repeated ER visits and tests before it's diagnosed. The only reliable 'cure' is cannabis cessation; symptoms typically return when use resumes. This is why the evidence rating here is 'Unsupported': for CHS, cannabis is not a medicine — it's the problem.
Compounds to explore
These are the compounds — terpenes and cannabinoids — that the research connects to this condition. They are starting points for reading a COA or choosing a product, not prescriptions. Each has its own guide with more detail.
Cannabinoid THC Daily, long-term THC exposure is what triggers CHS in susceptible people.