Why more Canadians are landing in emergency departments with cannabis-induced vomiting

Emergency departments are seeing a spike in visits owing to a once unusual, highly unpleasant and, in rare cases, potentially life-threatening side effect of chronic cannabis use: severe bouts of vomiting lasting hours, even days.
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As pot becomes more potent and more convenient to purchase, emergency doctors are reporting more cases of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS, a gastrointestinal condition that can affect people who use cannabis frequently (several times a week, if not daily) over months or years.
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In addition to 'cyclical' vomiting, other signs include morning nausea, intense abdominal pain and 'relief through compulsive hot showers or baths,' Western University researchers recently wrote. It's increasingly affecting teens and young adults, they report. 'Yet few people — including many clinicians — know it exists.'
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Emergency department visits for CHS increased 13-fold in Ontario after the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2018, one study found. While weed's legalization wasn't associated with a sudden or gradual change in cases, pot's commercialization — unlimited number of stores, more products — overlapping with the COVID-19 pandemic, was associated with an immediate bump in rates.
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The potency of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, is also off the charts, said Western's Jamie Seabrook, rising from about three per cent in dried cannabis in the 1980s to, according to Health Canada, 15 per cent in 2023. Some strains have as high as 30 per cent THC.
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'When I talk to youth, they can easily access strains that are upwards of 25 per cent. And that's huge,' said Seabrook, a professor in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics, and the department of pediatrics. The human brain continues to develop up to around age 25, he said. THC exposure over this period has been linked with problems with attention, memory and learning, as well as increased risks of paranoia, psychosis and, more recently, schizophrenia.

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Edmonton Journal

9 hours ago

• Edmonton Journal

Saturday's letters: Smith should trust frontline staff on vaccines

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Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Yet, previously very effective fall vaccination campaigns were delayed by her government and ordered to remove any mention of flu or COVID, tying their hands behind their backs. As frontline staff predicted, uptake plummeted. If you don't think accurate information campaigns matter, consider this. In a phone call to the premier's office yesterday, I was told that children under four can't receive COVID vaccines despite their availability in Alberta since fall 2022. 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Our Oilers players just want to play fast, exciting hockey and Edmontonians are so proud of you, Oilers players and management, for this attitude. We love your brand of hockey! Lori Walker, St. Albert We invite you to write letters to the editor. A maximum of 150 words is preferred. Letters must carry a first and last name, or two initials and a last name, and include an address and daytime telephone number. All letters are subject to editing. We don't publish letters addressed to others or sent to other publications. Email: letters@ Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal |The Edmonton Sun. 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The Province

10 hours ago

• The Province

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SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The World Health Organization recently designated NB.1.8.1 as a variant under monitoring. The strain, nicknamed 'Nimbus,' has reportedly been causing extremely painful sort throats in those who have been infected with it. Cases of the Nimbus variant have been rising. It has been detected in 22 countries as of May 18 and made up 10.7 per cent of the global COVID samples taken in late April, WHO said. That was considered a 'significant rise in prevalence' since it only made up 2.5 per cent of global COVID samples four weeks prior. However, WHO deemed the overall risk of Nimbus to be low. 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Global News

21 hours ago

• Global News

B.C. desperately needs a 2nd forensic psychiatric hospital, report finds

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