US Sees Rise in Nausea Cases Among Frequent Marijuana Users in Hospitals
A recent CDC report highlights a significant increase in hospital visits due to cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, a condition characterized by nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in frequent marijuana users.
The US has witnessed a notable surge in hospital visits by frequent marijuana users experiencing nausea and vomiting, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The increase in hospital emergency department (ED) diagnoses of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, a condition marked by recurring nausea, uncontrollable vomiting, and excruciating abdominal pain, is largely attributed to the introduction of a new diagnosis code last fall. This code provides a more accurate picture of the condition, which was previously underrecognized.
Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome is typically seen in individuals who frequently use marijuana, especially smokers. Past research has suggested that an estimated 2.75 million Americans suffer from this condition each year, with hospital ED visits rising as daily recreational marijuana use has increased.
However, experts have also suggested that the syndrome may have been underdiagnosed due to doctors not understanding patients' marijuana use or attributing the suffering to a different illness.
A new study by the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control analyzed ED data from approximately 7,500 healthcare facilities across the country through May. The findings indicate that almost 200,000 syndrome-related visits were made to the EDs from January 2023 through the summer of 2025.
The burden on EDs was relatively flat over most of the study period, but then jumped in October, when the new code went into effect.
| Age Group | Increase in ED Visits | | --- | --- | | 15-24 | 16% | | 25-34 | 10% | | 35-44 | 8% | | 45-54 | 6% | | 55-64 | 4% | | 65+ | 2% |
The largest increases were seen in people ages 15 to 24, teenage girls and women, Black Americans, and American Indian and Alaska Natives.
The findings suggest a need to raise awareness about the syndrome, particularly in teens and young adults. The report also highlights the need for more research into how newer high-potency THC and hemp-derived products are being used by and affecting younger Americans.
The study's first author, Alana Vivolo-Kantor, PhD, noted that the increase in younger people diagnosed with the syndrome was a surprising finding. "Because the assumption going in was, 'well, how can they have chronic use?'" she said. "How early were they using cannabis?
