A chilling side effect of smoking weed has been revealed after instances have increased in the past decade or so.
Better known as cannabis, the drug has long been known as one of the 'safer' ones compared to the likes of cocaine, LSD and others, but it can still come with some unwanted side effects.
While recreational use remains illegal in the UK, several US states have made the move to legalise marijuana, and both countries allow the drug to be used for medical purposes.
It's been said that partaking in the habit throughout your 20s and 30s can affect your lungs in the long-term, which isn't what you'd call ideal.
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Another study found that those who smoked regularly had a lower IQ by 1.3 points, though experts said it wasn't a largely noticeable difference.
The reality is that there are a number of positives that come with quitting the habit, and we're not on about munchies.
According to new research, hospitals in the US have seen more regular smokers show up with a condition called cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), which consists of attacks to the stomach and unbearable pain.
What is CHS?
CHS can hit chronic cannabis users three to four times a year, with the disorder causing nausea, abdominal pain and severe vomiting which can take place up to five times an hour, says the Cleveland Clinic.
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Experts say that these symptoms can appear within 24 hours of using cannabis, potentially lasting days and becoming so severe that doctors in the ER have come up with a name for them - 'scromiting'.
It's a mix of screaming and vomiting.
Lack of treatments
The problem is becoming more of a concern, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) formally recognising the condition and adding an official diagnosis code to its manual.
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Beatriz Carlini, a research associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said: “It helps us count and monitor these cases. In studying addiction and other public health concerns, we have three sources of data: what clinicians tell us, what people in the communities tell us, and what health records tell us.
“A new code for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome will supply important hard evidence on cannabis-adverse events, which physicians tell us is a growing problem.”
Doctors remain unfamiliar with the syndrome, which can make it hard to distinguish it from the likes of food poisoning or the stomach flu, as there are currently no existing therapies for it.
Anti-nausea medications often prove unsuccessful, Dr Chris Buresh, an emergency medicine specialist with UW Medicine and Seattle Children’s Hospital, said.
Patients have tried using capsaicin cream on their stomachs to ease the pain, while warm showers have been found to ease any discomfort.
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Dr Buresh added: “That’s something that can clinch the diagnosis for me, when someone says they’re better with a hot shower.
“Patients describe going through all the hot water in their house.”
Who can be affected?
Long-term recovery from the condition can be difficult, with some patients believing it to be unrelated to smoking, before the drug causes another episode.
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Quitting the addictive habit can also make abstinence a challenge, with that being the only known way to cure the condition.
Scientists are unsure about the causes of CHS, but it's said that it could be linked to the long-term overstimulation of receptors in the endocannabinoid system, playing a part in disrupting the body's control of nausea and vomiting.
But the fact that it only affects some weed users remains a question mark, as Dr Buresh added: “We don’t know if it’s related to the greater general availability of cannabis or the higher THC potency of some products or something else.”
He believes the 'threshold is different for everyone', while a study published by researchers at George Washington University found that those who started smoking earlier in life were more likely to develop CHS symptoms, along with those using the drug on a daily basis.
Adolescents with CHS in the US also increased by more than 10 times in the period between 2016 and 2023, according to the researchers.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24/7, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week.
Joshua Nair