Hospitals see an uptick in marijuana-related illness, Officials say

Pennsylvania hospitals are seeing a rise in patients arriving with severe nausea, relentless vomiting and intense abdominal pain tied to marijuana use, according to doctors in the Philadelphia region.

The condition, known as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS, has become a growing concern in emergency departments as cannabis becomes more widely available. Physicians say the illness does not appear to be linked to contaminated marijuana. Instead, it is associated with cannabis use itself, though doctors still do not fully understand why it affects some users and not others.

Dr. Alan Shubert of Virtua Health said the trend is especially noticeable in states where marijuana has been legalized for medical or recreational use, including nearby New Jersey and Delaware. While CHS is most often diagnosed in heavy users, doctors say it can also affect occasional users. Symptoms can be more intense than a typical stomach virus, and one unusual clue is that many patients report temporary relief from hot showers or baths.

One South Jersey woman told CBS Philadelphia the illness was “unbearable” before she was finally diagnosed after multiple hospital visits. After she stopped using marijuana daily, her symptoms went away, the report said.

Health experts suspect today’s higher-THC cannabis products may be one factor behind the increase in cases, though research is still developing. For doctors, the surge is another sign that as marijuana use expands, so do the health complications that can come with it.

Pennsylvania hospitals see an uptick in marijuana-related illness, Officials say was originally published on rnbphilly.com