A new and alarming slang term is making waves in emergency rooms and sparking debate between healthcare professionals and cannabis advocates: “scromiting.”
Combining the words “screaming” and “vomiting,” the term vividly describes an uncontrollable, violent episode of cyclical nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, often accompanied by loud, involuntary vocalizations. But behind this new piece of medical jargon lies a complex and controversial syndrome.
The Condition Behind the Term
Scromiting is the slang name for a clinical diagnosis known as Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). First described in medical literature in 2004, CHS is a paradoxical condition that affects some long-term, frequent cannabis users.
Key Symptoms of CHS/Scromiting:
- Cyclic Hyperemesis: Repeated, violent bouts of vomiting that can last for hours.
- Compulsive Hot Bathing: An overwhelming urge to take frequent, scalding-hot showers or baths, which patients report as the only thing that provides temporary relief.
- Abdominal Pain: Severe cramping often described as “colicky.”
- Dehydration & Weight Loss: As a result of persistent vomiting.
The “screaming” component of “scromiting” is attributed to the extreme distress and pain of these episodes, which are notoriously difficult to control with standard anti-nausea medications.
Why the Term “Scromiting” is So Divisive
The adoption of this slang term has highlighted a rift in how this condition is perceived.
The Medical Community’s Stance:
For many doctors and nurses on the front lines, a catchy, memorable term like “scromiting” is a useful clinical shorthand. It quickly conveys the dramatic and specific nature of the emergency. It underscores the growing prevalence of CHS as cannabis potency increases and legalization spreads, helping to raise awareness for faster diagnosis and treatment—which is often simply cessation of cannabis use.
Cannabis Advocates’ Concerns:
Many in the cannabis community view the term as stigmatizing and unscientific. They argue that:
- It creates a frightening, almost cartoonish label for a complex medical syndrome.
- It risks oversimplifying cannabis use, demonizing all users, and fueling anti-legalization rhetoric.
- It may cause patients to feel shame and delay seeking help for fear of judgment.
- More research is needed on CHS, including why it affects only a subset of chronic users and its potential biological mechanisms.
The Bottom Line for Public Health
Regardless of the slang, medical experts agree on the core facts:
- CHS is Real: It is a recognized, if not yet fully understood, condition.
- It’s Linked to Chronic Use: It primarily affects individuals who use cannabis heavily and frequently, often over years.
- The Only Cure is Abstinence: Stopping cannabis use is the only proven way to end the cycles permanently. Hot showers provide only temporary relief.
- Awareness is Critical: For frequent users experiencing unexplained cyclic vomiting, knowing about CHS can end a frustrating diagnostic odyssey.
The debate over “scromiting” reflects a larger societal conversation. As cannabis becomes more mainstream, the language we use must balance clinical accuracy with compassion and scientific nuance. Whether the term sticks in the medical lexicon or fades away, the important takeaway is recognizing the syndrome it describes and ensuring those suffering can get informed, non-judgmental care.
