Discussion 15 Things the Cannabis Industry Doesn't Want You to Know

[RUC4]

15 Things the Cannabis Industry Doesn't Want You to Know

AISH
Dr. Roneet Lev, FACEP
26 March 2023

Excerpts:

"As an emergency and addiction physician practicing on the front lines of the emergency department, I am seeing firsthand the devastating damage marijuana causes."

...he was recruited into the marijuana scene at a young age, changing his personality and resulting in cannabis induced psychosis. His parent's thought it was "just weed," but quickly realized it was anything but. Johnny had hallucinations; he thought the mob was chasing him and he ran off a building to his death. He was 19. Johnny Stack died from cannabis induced psychosis.

Brian Smith loved weed. Then the vomiting began. The teenager and his mother couldn’t believe what the doctors said was causing his dreadful abdominal pain and vomiting: smoking weed. He developed cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), also known as scromiting (screaming and vomiting). Months later, it killed him. He was 17

1- Today's marijuana is not just a plant - it is genetically modified, potent and contains toxins

2. Marijuana can have contaminants and toxins.

...

What caught my eye about this article is the Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome. I had really never heard of it, however when I read the symptoms, I was reminded of my friend Austin who took his life.

- Ongoing nausea
- Repeated episodes of vomiting
- Belly pain
- Decreased food intake and weight loss
- Symptoms of fluid loss (dehydration)

During this phase, vomiting is often intense and overwhelming. Many people take a lot of hot showers during the day. They find that doing so eases their nausea. (That may be because of how the hot temperature affects a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. This part of the brain effects both temperature regulation and vomiting.) People often first seek medical care during this phase.

He hung himself from a tree in front of the front door to my studio. He was vomiting every morning a lot. I gave him zofran a number of times and it helped some. He would wake up and be outside vomiting and it was projectile. He wanted the temperature super low inside and would tell me maybe he should go take a hot shower. He smoked daily and heavily. But, he had a mental health history. He came to live where I was living after a stint in a psych hospital near there. I think maybe this started with psychosis. He was put in the psych hospital because he was running around the streets playing with paintball guns. People were afraid of him. He was hallucinating.

I should add that he also had an Adderal script that he admittedly HAD abused, but I don't think he was abusing them at the time of this illness/death.

Has anyone here experienced this phenomenon? The description of symptoms reminded me of cotton fever. I've had that a few times and vomited A LOT and had to take a super hot shower to stop shivering.

 

[ColoradoOpiateGirl]

The pot is harmless myth is BS. I smoked every day for 20 years and have had many many panic attacks and negative side effects. Never personally had the vomiting illness but had 2 clients who sought massage therapy to help with it (stoners)

I've had many many wonderful experiences but those were like 90% in high school when I first started smoking.

Haven't smoked pot in over a year now.

 

[swilow]

The pot is harmless myth is BS. I smoked every day for 20 years and have had many many panic attacks and negative side effects. Never personally had the vomiting illness but had 2 clients who sought massage therapy to help with it (stoners)

I've had many many wonderful experiences but those were like 90% in high school when I first started smoking.

Haven't smoked pot in over a year now.

3 years for me. I smoked all day everyday for almost 25 years, and had serious anxiety and sleep problems which ultimately lead to opiate addiction and all the mess that brings. When I quit weed, I felt fucking awful for months- took about 6 months before I could sleep properly, but I basically don't experience anxiety at all anymore. For me, and many others I know, weed is certainly not some basically harmless substance like coffee or tea. Its a powerful psychoactive with deep effects.