2012 to 2021 Saw Increase in Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2025 (HealthDay News) — From 2012 to 2021, there was an increase in the prevalence of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) in Massachusetts, with the highest 10-year prevalence among young adults, Hispanic individuals, Black individuals, and men, according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Akari Miki, from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, and colleagues conducted a retrospective study to estimate the rates of CHS from 2012 to 2021 across >15 million emergency department visits using data from the Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis.

The researchers found that from 2012 to 2021, there was an increase in CHS cases per 10,000 emergency department visits, from 0.729 to 10.6, respectively. The fastest increase in CHS prevalence was seen among individuals aged 18 to 34 years (11.2 per 10,000 emergency department visits), with the highest 10-year prevalence seen in young adults, Hispanic individuals, Black individuals, and men.

“Overall, we report a 1,350 percent increase in CHS across Massachusetts emergency rooms, increasingly involving younger, Black and Hispanic populations,” the authors write. “Increased awareness and directed prevention/treatment programs may help counter the negative externalities of cannabis use on the general public.”

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