Summarised by Centrist
Increased marijuana use across the United States is bringing more health risks than ever before. The drug is now linked to rising cases of psychosis, addiction, and a condition called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), which causes severe nausea and vomiting.
Doctors report seeing patients “writhing around in pain” due to CHS, a condition brought on by frequent cannabis use.
According to estimates, as many as six million Americans using marijuana daily could experience CHS. For some, the symptoms become so debilitating that they require emergency care. As one doctor described, “Those patients look so sick.”
Many users don’t realise marijuana could be the cause of their suffering, like Jennifer Macaluso, who spent months with nausea and vomiting before discovering that cannabis was to blame.
Psychiatrists are also treating increasing numbers of patients with cannabis-induced psychosis. People are showing symptoms such as paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations.
Dr Lauren Moran, a psychiatrist, says that marijuana is not benign for many of these patients. “The fact that you’re here shows it is probably not benign for you,” she tells them.
A Columbia University analysis found that nearly 18 million Americans have reported symptoms of cannabis addiction, with three million meeting the criteria for addiction.
Meanwhile, the potency of cannabis products has skyrocketed. In some cases, CHS has led to deaths from dehydration, seizures, and even cardiac arrest. Despite the growing concerns, state regulations are patchy, and few public health warnings exist.
