Azadirachtin, CHS (Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome) and Benadryl
News Flash!
CHS is actually an allergic reaction to Azadirachtin and Benadryl helps with the symptoms!
(UPDATE CHS does actually exist! I have information from a small number of people who continue to have issues with THC, regardless of how clean their cannabis is. Using low thc cannabis in tiny amounts seems to be ok, and high CBD content does not cause the issue. Using too often, or using too high of a concentration and CHS rears its ugly head. The GOOD news? (for most of us anyway) I estimate about 90% or more of CHS sufferers are solely due to neem/aza contamination)
CHS has nothing to do with cannabis itself, as the cannabis is simply a carrier.
Do you have nausea every morning? Spending your days soaking in a hot bath or shower, just to ease the pain? Chiropractor wondering why you have such massive muscle tension going on? Intense pain around the kidneys and lower back muscles along the spine? Vomiting uncontrollably?
Check your cannabis source and you'll most likely find an azadirachtin product is being used. Azatrol, Aza-Sol, Azamax and others, all contain the ingredient azadirachtin. One ounce of neem oil has between 200 and 2000ppm of azadirachtin in it. I'm not exactly sure yet if straight neem oil is safe, azadirachtin definitely is not.
Taking Benadryl Helps Immensely
I had used some dispensary cannabis for a week or so and it was definitely too much aza for my system to handle. I sent my wife out for a few things and she brought back a box of benadryl. I figured... what the heck. Oh man... talk about amazing. Apparently this aza reaction is an allergy of some sort.
I Spoke With a Gastroenterologist
They were under the impression it took significant amounts of cannabis usage to cause CHS. They were quite surprised to find it can be caused by even small amounts of cannabis, when they're heavily contaminated with azadirachtin. They were even more surprised to find I could use massive amounts of cannabis without issue, as long as the cannabis was azadirachtin free.
I've Been Dealing with Aza Poisoning for Years
Off and on, my sources of cannabis have been contaminated and I've ended up having significant issues. I now know benadryl helps and the activated charcoal I've been eating seems to lessen the effects quicker. I do know each incident has been resulted in health/digestive issues of greater and greater severity and length of effect.
Push for the End of Aza as a Cannabis Pesticide Today!
Aza products need to be banned for use with cannabis. Find a way to help this cause today. Millions will thank your efforts.
chronic poisoning, huh, who knew?
Exactly, it took me years to figure out the source of the issue.
this is a neem derivative. do you know if the allergy is autoimmune reaction to the plant based pesticide or could it be a reaction to contaminants? i see it is associated with aflatoxin, a mold toxin, which has created similar sensitivities for me.
It could be a contaminant, possibly.
I've tested both Azamax and Azatrol, same exact response. Nearly everything from dispensaries I've tried is contaminated, can't imagine they're all using the same batches/types of aza.
Cases of CHS also began shortly after azadirachtin was released on the market. Thousands of years prior to that, zero cases of CHS.
ever had any reaction to neem oil, to your knowledge?
thanks for the info.
I looked it up and 1oz. of neem oil contains between 200 and 2000ppm of azadirachtin. Though I'm not aware of neem-only treated plants causing a CHS issue, the possibility is there.
I've only tested the same strains, side by side, with azamax and azatrol. Results were exactly the same, CHS from treated plants, nothing but relief from the same strains untreated.
Going to have to test pure neem oil on a plant my next grow, unless someone does the experiment for me before then. :)
Thank you so much for sharing this very important information @thecleangame. I do hope you are feeling better now.
I will put this info to good use and share it in the cannabis groups I belong to.
Glad to share, especially when it helps others. Feeling much better now, yes. :) Thank you
NOTE
Current information in the 'medical' industry says CHS happens with mass usage of cannabis. Reality shows CHS happens with even low usage of "heavily contaminated" cannabis.
When plants are treated in veg or early flower, low concentration applications can produce 'lightly' contaminated cannabis. It takes a week or so of constant use for the azadirachtin in it to build up to CHS levels.
How sure are you about this? I am desperate to know how to cure myself of this exact issue and have found that even Clean Green Organic Certified Weed in California allows Aza or Neem Oil products.. Have you tried both and find that you have no issues without the Neem/Aza?
I'm 100% Positive
This took me years to figure out, I even had to do my own testing.
I've grown clones of the exact same plants, side by side and only treated half of them. I was able to use as much as I wanted of the clean cannabis. I was unable to use any of the aza contaminated cannabis.
Be careful of organic growers. When you ask them if they use any pesticides a lot of them will say no. They don't think of aza products as 'pesticides' so you have to probe deeper. Ask if they use any organic certified products for mite control.
Find someone who grows without it or grow it yourself. Talk a neighbor/relative/friend into it if you're unable to. It's worth it.
Get some benadryl or another anti-histamine, you'll thank yourself. Take 2 activated charcoal pills a day for a week or so.
This is very interesting.... I too have been feeling very il off and on since using egal cannabis up here in the Pacific NW usa. During my atttempts to figure out a possible cause, I tended to notice it occuring in strains with higher CBD content... For example, Star Dawg strian would make me super sick..
But the symptoms are what pique my interest here. I never even thought about the neem oil/ pesticicde as being harmful; pretty ignorant of me, really.. :/
Fortunately, I have my first crop of legal cannabis a few weeks from harvest (hopefullly!) and have yet to have to use--knock on wood--any kind of pesticide or anything yet (indoor grow), and hopefully I won't have to, but you never know.
I do know the current bag I just bought from the dispensary lists neem oil as its pesticide, and I don't like it lol. So I'm DEFINITELY going to experiement from now on, looking to use ONLY . neem-free buds; then I'll see if I feel any better!!
Thanks again.
My Pleasure!
I'm sure you won't feel ill from your own cannabis, unless it was seriously overfed.
It's nice when the dispensary lists their poisons on the bottle. ;) Looking forward to hearing nothing but good stuff from you about cannabis and your issues. :D
My son was diagnosed with CHS as well after many trips to the hospital.Even after being told he had CHS he still didnt stop smoking. Today he woke up at 3 am in severe bad pain he did everything the hospital told him to do nothing helped after doing more research i found your forum and let me tell you after 12 hours in pain withing 10 mins of taking the benadryl his symptoms went away.