As cannabis becomes more widely available and socially accepted, many adolescents and their parents view it as relatively harmless. However, pediatricians are seeing consequences that many families have never heard of, including cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), mental health effects, and dependence.
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS)
CHS is characterized by recurrent episodes of severe nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in people who use cannabis regularly. Unfortunately, because the syndrome remains unfamiliar to many families and even some healthcare providers, adolescents may undergo repeated emergency department visits, imaging studies, laboratory testing, and hospitalizations before cannabis is recognized as the underlying cause.
With severe repetitive vomiting, teens are at risk for dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, temporary kidney injury, weight loss, and significant disruption to school and family life. The most effective treatment is stopping all cannabis use, however some adolescents may continue using cannabis before being diagnosed because they believe it helps relieve nausea, unknowingly worsening the cycle.
Mental Health Effects
Research has shown that regular cannabis use during adolescence can affect attention, memory, learning, and executive functioning—skills that are still developing during the teenage years. Frequent use has been linked with poorer academic performance and may worsen anxiety or depression in some adolescents. In susceptible individuals, particularly those with a family history of schizophrenia, cannabis can also increase the risk of psychotic symptoms like hallucinations or of developing psychotic disorders like schizophrenia.
Dependence is also a concern, as cannabis is not always considered to be an addictive drug, but this is a common myth. While addiction is more common in adults than adolescents, those who begin using cannabis products in their teenage years are more likely to use increasing amounts of cannabis and/or develop cannabis dependence in adulthood compared to people who start using cannabis as adults.
Education and Awareness
It is essential to communicate honestly and factually with adolescents about the risks of cannabis use. Just as we educate families about the risks of vaping, alcohol, or prescription medication misuse, we should provide balanced information about cannabis. Legal does not mean risk-free, particularly for developing adolescents.
By increasing awareness of conditions like cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, encouraging open conversations about substance use, and continuing to invest in research on the effects of cannabis in youth, we can help adolescents avoid preventable illness.
Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.
