Cannabis Vaping Health Risks Alarm Researchers

California researchers have uncovered serious cannabis vaping health risks, linking vape use to a rare but potentially fatal condition. The condition is called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS. Vape users develop the disorder significantly faster than people who smoke or consume edibles.

The findings come from a survey of more than 1,130 people who reported experiencing CHS. The study, published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, has prompted one author to call the situation “a massive public health concern.”

What Is Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome?

Doctors first reported CHS in 2004. Scientists did not formally establish diagnostic criteria until 2016. The condition causes severe stomach pain, diarrhoea, and an extreme form of vomiting so violent that sufferers often scream while being sick. Healthcare workers call it “scromiting.” Many patients run hot baths in a desperate attempt to ease the nausea.

At least three people have died from CHS-related complications. Emergency room visits for the condition rose sharply during the pandemic. A 2025 study reviewing hospital data from 2016 to 2022 confirmed the trend, showing a steep national increase in cases across the United States.

Vaping Cannabis Dangers: Vape Users Hit Harder and Sooner

Study author Megan Mbengue found that vape users consume cannabis more frequently throughout the day. They develop CHS symptoms years earlier than people who smoke.

The numbers tell a sobering story. A total of 96.5% of respondents used cannabis daily before symptoms appeared. Nearly half consumed it six or more times a day. Some had used cannabis for up to a decade before CHS developed, which shows the vaping cannabis dangers can build quietly over many years without obvious warning signs.

Cannabis Vaping Health Risks Point to THC as the Culprit

Lead researcher Codi Peterson, an associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at UC Irvine, believes THC drives CHS. THC is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. Peterson argues it triggers harmful changes in the body’s endocannabinoid system, a neurological network that controls mood, appetite, and pain.

“People who exclusively vaped developed CHS in a shorter timeline,” Peterson told reporters.

The study also challenges the theory that contaminated cannabis causes CHS. Researchers recruited participants from both licensed retailers and unlicensed dealers. Peterson points out that contamination would cause widespread illness within a single supply chain. CHS does not follow that pattern.

“If it is just tainted weed, then everyone who bought from that one dealer or that store would get sick, yet only some people are getting sick,” Peterson said.

Scientists are also exploring a genetic angle. Some individuals may carry a predisposition to CHS that makes them more vulnerable, regardless of how they consume cannabis.

THC levels in modern vape cartridges are considerably higher than in traditional smoked cannabis. Researchers believe this concentration helps explain why vape users cross the threshold for CHS far more quickly.

A Growing but Contested Crisis

CHS divides opinion within cannabis communities. Many users blame contaminated products rather than cannabis itself. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that some cannabis compounds carry anti-nausea properties, making a cannabis-triggered vomiting disorder feel counterintuitive.

Scientists, however, increasingly say the evidence is clear. The volume and frequency of THC consumption drive the condition, not product quality. The research reinforces a wider and worrying picture of vaping cannabis dangers that more people are now experiencing firsthand.

Heavy, repeated use of any substance carries the potential for serious long-term consequences. This study adds significant weight to that warning.

Source: sfgate