Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome

Changes in Emergency Department Visits for Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome Following Recreational Cannabis Legalization and Subsequent Commercialization in Ontario, Canada

IMPORTANCE

Prior research suggests that the legalization of recreational cannabis is associated with increases in cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), but it is unclear how cannabis commercialization (ie, greater retail store access as well as increased variety and potency of cannabis products) may be associated with these changes.

OBJECTIVES

To examine changes in the number and characteristics of CHS emergency department (ED) visits from before to after legalization of cannabis in Ontario, Canada.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This repeated cross-sectional study used interrupted time-series analyses to examine immediate and gradual changes in ED visits for CHS in Ontario, Canada, during 3 time periods: prelegalization (January 2014-September 2018), legalization with product and retail store restrictions (October 2018-February 2020), and commercialization with new products and expanded stores, which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-June 2021). Data were obtained from routinely collected and linked health administrative databases. All individuals aged at least 15 years and who were eligible for Ontario's Universal Health Coverage were included. Data were analyzed between March and July 2022.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Monthly counts of ED visits for CHS per capita.

RESULTS

There were 12 866 ED visits for CHS from 8140 individuals during the study. Overall, the mean (SD) age was 27.4 (10.5) years, with 2834 individuals (34.8%) aged 19 to 24 years, 4163 (51.5%) females, and 1353 individuals (16.6%) with a mental health ED visit or hospitalization in the 2 years before their first CHS ED visit. Nearly 10% of visits (1135 visits [8.8%]) led to hospital admissions. Monthly rates of CHS ED visits increased 13-fold during the 7.5-year study period, from 0.26 visits per 100 000 population in January 2014 to 3.43 visits per 100 000 population in June 2021. Legalization was not associated with an immediate or gradual change in rates of ED visits for CHS; however, commercialization during the COVID-19 pandemic period was associated with an immediate increase in rates of CHS ED visits (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.49; 95% CI, 1.31-1.70). During commercialization, rates of CHS ED visits increased more in women (IRR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.16-1.92) and individuals older than the legal age of cannabis purchase (eg, age 19-24 years: IRR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.19-2.16) than men (IRR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.85-1.37) and individuals younger than the legal age of purchase (IRR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.42-1.45).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This cross-sectional study found large increases in CHS ED visits during the period of time when the market commercialized and the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. Greater awareness of CHS symptoms by ED staff in regions where legal commercialized cannabis markets exist is indicated.

A case report on cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome in palliative care: how good intentions can go wrong

INTRODUCTION

Synthetic cannabinoids are commonly used to manage pain, nausea, and vomiting in oncology and palliative care. Despite the current acceptance of cannabinoids as a treatment option for nausea and vomiting, there is a lack of data regarding the side effects of its prolonged use leading to possible toxicity due to accumulation, and as a result, exacerbation of nausea and vomiting rather than alleviation. Case report presentation: The patient, a 70-year-old female who was residing in the palliative care unit with the diagnosis of small-cell lung cancer. She underwent a course of chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel, docetaxel, and cisplatin. She presented with hair loss, sore mouth, and loss of appetite, diarrhea, neuralgia, nausea and vomiting which developed approximately five hours after chemotherapy. Nabilone was used for the last five years to manage the patient's neuralgia. As her cancer progressed, dosage of nabilone was incrementally increased from 0.5 mg to 2 mg to control her pain; however, it exacerbated refractory nausea and vomiting. Nabilone was discontinued seven weeks after administration due to suspicion of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. Hot baths were attempted with temporary relief. Her pain became well controlled with opioids and adjuvants and there has been no recurrence of nausea and vomiting since the cessation of nabilone.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Successful recognition and management of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is especially important in individuals with co-morbid disorders in order to avoid cannabis toxicity.

The Effectiveness of Common Cannabis Products for Treatment of Nausea

GOALS

We measure for the first time how a wide range of cannabis products affect nausea intensity in actual time.

BACKGROUND

Even though the Cannabis plant has been used to treat nausea for millennia, few studies have measured real-time effects of common and commercially available cannabis-based products.

STUDY

Using the Releaf App, 886 people completed 2220 cannabis self-administration sessions intended to treat nausea between June 6, 2016 and July 8, 2019. They recorded the characteristics of self-administered cannabis products and baseline symptom intensity levels before tracking real-time changes in the intensity of their nausea.

RESULTS

By 1 hour postconsumption, 96.4% of people had experienced symptom relief with an average symptom intensity reduction of -3.85 points on a 0 to 10 visual analog scale (SD=2.45, d=1.85, P<0.001). Symptom relief was statistically significant at 5 minutes and increased with time. Among product characteristics, flower and concentrates yielded the strongest, yet similar results; products labeled as Cannabis indica underperformed those labeled as Cannabis sativa or hybrid; and joints were associated with greater symptom relief than pipes or vaporizers. In sessions using flower, higher tetrahydrocannbinol and lower cannabidiol were generally associated with greater symptom relief (eg, within 5 min).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that the vast majority of patients self-selecting into cannabis use for treatment of nausea likely experience relief within a relative short duration of time, but the level of antiemetic effect varies with the characteristics of the cannabis products consumed in vivo. Future research should focus on longer term symptom relief, including nausea-free intervals and dosing frequency; the risks of consumption of medical cannabis, especially among high-risk populations, such as pregnant women and children; and potential interactions between cannabis, conventional antiemetics, other medications, food, tobacco, alcohol, and street drugs among specific patient populations.

Cannabis use and cannabis use disorder

Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is an underappreciated risk of using cannabis that affects ~10% of the 193 million cannabis users worldwide. The individual and public health burdens are less than those of other forms of drug use, but CUD accounts for a substantial proportion of persons seeking treatment for drug use disorders owing to the high global prevalence of cannabis use. Cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational enhancement therapy and contingency management can substantially reduce cannabis use and cannabis-related problems, but enduring abstinence is not a common outcome. No pharmacotherapies have been approved for cannabis use or CUD, although a number of drug classes (such as cannabinoid agonists) have shown promise and require more rigorous evaluation. Treatment of cannabis use and CUD is often complicated by comorbid mental health and other substance use disorders. The legalization of non-medical cannabis use in some high-income countries may increase the prevalence of CUD by making more potent cannabis products more readily available at a lower price. States that legalize medical and non-medical cannabis use should inform users about the risks of CUD and provide information on how to obtain assistance if they develop cannabis-related mental and/or physical health problems.