In a survey of nearly 400 Washington state clinicians, researchers found four health conditions related to cannabis use have emerged as more common and concerning.
SEATTLE — In a new University of Washington survey of nearly 400 Washington state clinicians, more than half expressed strong concern about the mental-health risks of cannabis use.
Researchers say nearly 20% of those clinicians also reported seeing patients with cannabis-related adverse health events two to three times per month.
The 20-question survey drew responses from 388 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals between December 2024 and March 2025. The questions concerned clinical experiences with patients who had health problems from cannabis use after Washington legalized the drug for recreational use in 2012.
“Healthcare providers are noticing, and concerned about, cannabis adverse events,” said Beatriz Carlini, the paper’s lead author. Carlini is a research associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the UW School of Medicine. “It’s also interesting that we could find no other research papers where clinicians in the United States are asked about treating cannabis-related adverse conditions. Their voices have not been heard on this topic before now.”
The survey notes that four conditions emerged as relatively more common and concerning among respondents:
Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome: 70% of clinicians reported treating patients who endured repeated cycles of nausea and severe vomiting, which can lead to dehydration and prolonged emergency department visits. Cannabis-use disorder: 65% of respondents identified patients showing signs of addiction or dependency on cannabis. Anxiety: 63% of respondents identified patients with anxiety related to cannabis use. Psychoses or hallucinations: 53% of respondents identified patients with psychoses and hallucinations attributed to cannabis use; 34% called this out as the most serious such adverse event they see.
The survey also indicated gaps in clinicians’ training to provide care for this population: 65.9% of respondents reported having slight or no knowledge about how cannabis interacts with other medications, and 42.8% reported limited knowledge about cannabis-induced psychoses.
Nearly 75% expressed a desire for more training on how to screen for cannabis use and how to manage related health risks.
UW researchers also say respondents identified system-level barriers to treating cannabis-related conditions more effectively. More than 80% said they would be more likely to screen and intervene if they had established treatment protocols and more referral options for patients.
Carlini notes that nationally, traditional substance-use treatment providers are overwhelmed by patients with opioid- and methamphetamine-use disorders, which makes it less likely that individuals who seek help for cannabis — often perceived as a low-risk substance — will receive adequate support.
“This reflects a systemwide lack of response to a drug that has become more potent and more available. There has been no capacity-building to properly respond in the healthcare setting,” Carlini said.
The study did not measure whether cannabis-related adverse health effects are on the rise in Washington, but Carlini said literature from other areas suggests that is likely the case.