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In the NoCo

The facts on ‘scromiting’ – an intense bout of vomiting linked to overindulgence in cannabis

Sam Wang, a man with dark hair and wearing a white physicians jacket that reads "Children's Hospital Colorado" on one side and "G. Sam Wang, MD" on the other side smiles for a photo.
Courtesy Children's Hospital Colorado

Scromiting refers to an intense form of illness – a mix of screaming and vomiting – brought on by overindulging in cannabis.

CNN recently reported that scromiting is on the rise and quoted one female patient who described the pain as “worse than childbirth.” The New York Post noted that misdiagnosis is common because many doctors don’t know about the condition.

The CDC and World Health Organization recently gave official diagnostic codes for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, which is the official term for scromiting.

It turns out that emergency room doctors in Colorado have seen their share of this condition in patients since the state became one of the first to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012.

Dr. Sam Wang is one of those physicians who has seen and treated cases of scromiting. Wang practices pediatric emergency medicine and specializes in medical toxicology at Children's Hospital Colorado. He joined Erin O’Toole to share more about this unusual illness.

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.
Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.
As the host of KUNC’s news program and podcast In The NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.