Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: Capturing the Narrative of People with Lived Experience

Over the past decade, emergency-room doctors have increasingly treated people who have severe abdominal pain, nausea, and intense or prolonged vomiting. These patients’ common trait: chronic cannabis use.

While this condition has a name, “cannabis hyperemesis syndrome,” and a diagnostic code (R11.2, per the World Health Organization), it is still not very known to the public, clinicians, and people who consume cannabis.

This project aims to capture the experiences of people who suffered (or are still suffering) from this syndrome, as well as the testimony of experts on its causes, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment.

The result of this effort will be a video featuring interviews and testimonies to be widely disseminated among clinicians working in Washington-based health systems. The project’s goal is to increase awareness of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome and debunk myths surrounding this debilitating condition.

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