Illness dubbed "Scromiting" linked to the increased potency of Cannabis.
US Doctors are becoming increasingly concerned about a syndrome believed to be associated with cannabis that causes extreme nausea and potential psychotic episodes.
Scromiting which is nick-named after its possible symptoms (screaming and vomiting) is defined as "a rare form of cannabinoid toxicity that develops in chronic smokers"
The increase in cases is strongly believed to result from the high percentage of THC present in current cannabis strains. It's a well-known fact that today's Cannabis is around 50-70% more potent than weed samples from the '60s and '70s. This is primarily due to advances in breeding and extraction technology and demand as Cannabis continues to be legalised across the western world
A study in the Journal of Toxicology, 2017 revealed that 97% of "scromiting" cases were in people who indulged in Cannabis at least once per week. A similar study conducted in 2018 said that the condition was no joke and should be taken seriously. It certainly doesn't sound like fun with one sufferer likening it to "Edwards Scissorhands trying to grab my intestines and pull them out".
The findings labelled "scromiting" as "an increasingly complicated and prevalent problem for health care providers" and made a call for further investigation.
Anecdotal evidence from sufferers suggests that hot showers offer some relief from the worst symptoms, with those unlucky enough to be experiencing the condition bathing compulsively. It is also reported that the symptoms do cease after the sufferer abstains from cannabis use.
Data shows that Colorado is one of the states with the highest numbers of diagnoses. Some are connecting this to the fact that the state legalized Cannabis for recreational use back in 2012. Other states, such as California, the first state to legalize medicinally, have also reported many cases.
This condition raises a few questions that have been swirling around for some time. How much more potent can Cannabis get? As breeding and extraction technology advances and strains become more specialized, are we creating new health problems whilst trying to heal old ones. Will we get to a point where we genetically modify Cannabis to become a different plant altogether? Don't get me wrong, I love a potent strain, but this information has made me think, are we going too far in our quest for the highest high?
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Liz Filmer
