What is ‘scromiting’? US citizens warned about terrifying cannabis side effect

Doctors nationwide are sounding alarms as a severe cannabis-related disorder is sending record numbers of users to emergency rooms. The condition is so intense that medical teams have nicknamed it “scromiting” due to the extreme screaming and vomiting patients experience.

Emergency departments have seen a sharp rise over the last decade in people suffering from relentless nausea, repeated vomiting, and debilitating abdominal pain. Many return multiple times, unaware that cannabis is causing their symptoms.

The culprit is Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). According to Dr. Beatriz Carlini from the University of Washington, patients often go through several costly ER visits before doctors identify the real problem.

CHS episodes can begin within a day of cannabis use and last several days. Because the pain is so severe, some patients scream while throwing up, inspiring the term “scromiting.” Dr. Chris Buresh, an emergency specialist, says treating CHS is difficult, as standard anti-nausea drugs usually fail and no FDA-approved treatment exists.

Instead, doctors often turn to unusual remedies. Hot showers, capsaicin cream, and even the antipsychotic drug Haldol are sometimes used. Buresh notes that patients who compulsively take hot showers often provide a key clue to the diagnosis.

CHS nearly always comes back if cannabis use continues. The only true cure is quitting entirely, though many patients keep using because the condition appears sporadically, leading them to misjudge the cause.

Why CHS affects certain users is still unknown. Research suggests long-term or heavy cannabis use may overwhelm the body’s endocannabinoid system. Recent data also show a major rise in adolescent cases, prompting the World Health Organization to assign CHS an official diagnosis code to better track its growing prevalence.