Hospital visits linked to ‘scromiting’ rose by more than 400 percent between 2016 and 2022

Cannabis users are being warned about a painful and disturbing side effect known as ‘scromiting’, after US president Donald Trump reclassified the drug as a less dangerous substance.

Weed is legal for recreational use in some US states, but across the rest of the country, state-licensed medical marijuana has been moved from Schedule I to Schedule III.

In the US, a Schedule I drug is treated as having no accepted medical use and a high risk of abuse. Heroin is one of the other drugs placed in that same category.

By contrast, a Schedule III listing means the US government recognizes that medical marijuana has accepted medical uses, while also viewing it as having a low to moderate risk of dependence.

Even with that change, cannabis remains illegal for recreational and medical use at the federal level. So the reclassification does not mean the US has approved weed for legal use across the whole country.

The move has still brought fresh attention to the health risks linked to cannabis, including one condition that can cause intense vomiting, stomach pain, and distress for some long-term users.

What is ‘scromiting’?

One warning linked to weed use concerns the side effect known as ‘scromiting’. The word combines ‘screaming’ and ‘vomiting’, which gives a pretty clear idea of how unpleasant it can be.

Scromiting is a symptom of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, also known as CHS. The condition can cause severe stomach pain and is usually linked to chronic cannabis use.

Sydni Collins, 23, spoke to the New York Post last year about her experience with the condition, explaining: “I would be puking all morning. I would let out yells or cries because nothing would come out. I was just dry heaving.”

The US has taken a step towards recognising the uses of medical marijuana

“I could not bear the taste of anything. I would chew on ice cubes. I would lick the salt off pretzel rods.”

“I would be in the fetal position on the bed for hours because that was the only way my stomach didn’t hurt as bad.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, CHS can lead to nausea, abdominal pain, and severe vomiting. The pain can become so bad that some people scream while vomiting, which is how the term ‘scromiting’ became attached to the condition.

Why the condition can be so alarming

For people who have never heard of CHS, the symptoms can be confusing and frightening. Severe vomiting, stomach pain, and dry heaving can look like food poisoning, stomach flu, or another sudden illness.

The condition can also be hard for patients to connect with cannabis use, especially if they have used weed for a long time without having the same reaction before.

That is part of what makes the warning important. As cannabis becomes more widely used and discussed, doctors and patients are paying closer attention to the side effects that may affect frequent users.

According to a study published last year, the number of people arriving at US emergency departments with cannabis hyperemesis syndrome increased more than fourfold from 2016 to 2022.

The World Health Organization has now formally recognized CHS and given it a proper diagnosis code, which may help doctors track and identify cases more clearly.

Professor Beatriz Carlini of the University of Washington School of Medicine explained why that matters, saying: “It helps us count and monitor these cases. In studying addiction and other public health concerns, we have three sources of data: what clinicians tell us, what people in the communities tell us, and what health records tell us.”

“A new code for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome will supply important hard evidence on cannabis-adverse events, which physicians tell us is a growing problem.”

The new code could make it easier to understand how often CHS is happening and whether cases are rising as cannabis use becomes more common.

It also gives health professionals a clearer way to record the condition, which may help build a stronger picture of cannabis-related adverse events over time.

Why ‘scromiting’ is a new term

Doctors have sometimes struggled to tell CHS apart from stomach flu, food poisoning, and other common causes of vomiting. That has made diagnosis and official recognition harder.

For people dealing with CHS symptoms, the situation can be even more difficult because there are currently no specific therapies for the condition. Anti-nausea medication often does not work well enough to control the symptoms.

One thing some patients say helps is taking a hot shower. Dr Chris Buresh said people with CHS often find that hot water gives some relief from the pain and vomiting that can leave them screaming.

Chronic weed smokers are in danger of cannabis hypermesis syndrome and its ‘scromiting’ symptom, which means you’ll be screaming and vomiting at the same time

He said: “That’s something that can clinch the diagnosis for me, when someone says they’re better with a hot shower. Patients describe going through all the hot water in their house.”

The warning around CHS does not mean every cannabis user will experience scromiting, but it does show why severe vomiting and stomach pain should not be ignored, especially in people who use cannabis often.

What cannabis users should keep in mind

The rise in reported CHS cases has made the condition a bigger concern for doctors, especially as more states and countries change how they treat cannabis use.

People who use cannabis regularly may not expect the drug to be linked with vomiting, since many users associate it with easing nausea. That can make CHS feel even more surprising when symptoms begin.

If someone experiences repeated vomiting, severe stomach pain, dry heaving, or relief only from hot showers, medical advice may be needed. Those symptoms could point to CHS or another condition that needs proper care.