Overview
- On Oct. 1, 2025, cannabis hyperemesis syndrome received the ICD code R11.16, enabling standardized diagnosis and improved tracking in the U.S. and globally.
- National data show CHS-related emergency visits rose from about 4 to 22 per 100,000 ED visits between 2016 and 2022, with marked spikes during 2020–2021.
- Adolescent presentations increased more than tenfold from 2016 to 2023, with higher rates reported in the West and Northeast compared with the South.
- Patients can endure hours of intense abdominal pain and uncontrollable vomiting that drive repeat ER visits; hot showers may briefly ease symptoms, but stopping cannabis is the only proven cure.
- Experts say causes remain uncertain, with possibilities including heavier use and rising THC potency, which federal analyses show increased from roughly 4% in 1995 to over 16% in 2022.