When the high ends in the hospital
Cases of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome are surging across the Charlotte region and state
The following article appeared in the Jan. 28, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.
Doctors warn of risks of cannabis use to young people as patients suffering from psychosis and ‘scromiting’ surge in North Carolina’s emergency rooms
by Daniel Larlham Jr.
Medical providers in Charlotte and across the state say more patients are landing in emergency rooms with problems stemming from cannabis use.
A lot of them are young patients complaining of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Those are symptoms of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), a serious disorder brought on by long-term, habitual cannabis use.
CHS is something that doctors now see cases of every week, particularly in young men. It has become so common that the World Health Organization officially recognized it last year, and it received a diagnostic code so health experts can track it.
CHS has become a topic of increasing concern as states legalize marijuana. Although marijuana is still illegal in North Carolina, intoxicating THC products are widely sold in gas stations and convenience stores under a federal loophole. Social media has dubbed CHS’s most volatile symptom “scromiting” — a combination of screaming and vomiting.