Overview

• Dennis Hartmann, 36, recounts 14 years of recurrent vomiting, severe abdominal pain and repeated hospital stays before learning about cannabis hyperemesis syndrome.
• He says marijuana initially seemed to ease nausea but ultimately worsened his condition, with episodes so intense he contemplated suicide.
• Patients report brief relief from hot showers or other heat, yet clinicians note this provides only symptomatic respite and can worsen dehydration.
• Psychiatry professor Ursula Havemann-Reinecke explains CHS as a consequence of long-term, frequent use of high-THC cannabis, with diagnosis confirmed after 6–12 months of abstinence without relapses.
• Acute care may include fluids, electrolytes and sometimes haloperidol, while capsaicin cream can help some patients; prevalence is likely undercounted and cases could rise with broader legalization and higher THC potency.