As cannabis use among youth rises in Canada — and THC potency reaches record highs — emergency departments are seeing a surge in cases of a once-rare condition: cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS).
Characterized by relentless vomiting, abdominal pain and temporary relief through compulsive hot showers or baths, CHS is increasingly affecting adolescents and young adults. Yet few people — including many clinicians — know it exists.
Canada ranks among the highest globally for youth cannabis use, with 43 per cent of 16-19-year-olds reporting use in the past year. Usage peaks among those 20–24 years, with nearly half (48 per cent) reporting past-year use.
This rise in regular, heavy use coincides with a 400 per cent increase in THC potency since the 1980s. Strains with THC levels above 25 per cent are now common. As cannabis becomes more potent and accessible, clinicians are seeing more cases of CHS, a condition virtually unheard of before 2004.
CHS unfolds in three phases:
Prodromal phase: Nausea and early morning discomfort begin. Users increase cannabis consumption, thinking it will relieve symptoms.
Hyperemetic phase: Intense vomiting, dehydration and abdominal pain follow. Hot showers or baths provide temporary relief — a hallmark of CHS.
Recovery phase: Symptoms resolve after stopping cannabis entirely.
Diagnosis is often delayed. One reason is because CHS mimics conditions like gastroenteritis or eating disorders, leading to costly CT scans, MRIs and gastric emptying tests. One telltale sign — compulsive hot bathing — is frequently overlooked, despite its strong diagnostic value.
Youth face unique risks. The brain continues to develop until about age 25, and THC exposure during this critical window can impair cognitive functions like memory, learning and emotional regulation. Heavy cannabis use is associated with heightened risks of anxiety, depression, psychosis and self-harm.
Youth face unique risks. The brain continues to develop until about age 25, and THC exposure during this critical window can impair cognitive functions like memory, learning and emotional regulation.
Any article quoting this is a huge red flag. This is a talking point repeatedly used to strip those 18-25 of their civil rights. The truth is your brain doesn’t stop developing at 25. Your brain never stops developing and changing. 25 is just the age where studies on brain development tend to stop.
Also, another huge red flag of this article is the complete lack of the word “alcohol” in it. Any article on the effects of cannabis abuse that don’t provide proper context, namely comparing the severity effects of alcohol, is highly suspect.
This is an interesting article. I’d like to see more research done into the consumption habits of the youth that are being affected. The article touches on potency from flower being above 25%, which is higher yield than we’ve previously had, even since legalization in Canada. But I think the bigger factors here are possibly two fold. First being how THC is being consumed. I’ve noticed younger and newer consumers trending towards vapes. They have a much higher THC concentration. Live resins around 70-85%, distillate up to 92% and diamonds going to 99%. And people absolutely fly through these carts. Second being where is the product coming from. Is this legally regulated with the limits in place, or is coming from the grey market where you can get up to 1-2k mg of THC in a single gummy? Overall a concerning trend, but something that needs to be looked into deeper as to where the root cause is. I highly doubt it’s solely from dry flower.
