A guided digital intervention to reduce cannabis use: The ICan randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Interventions
• Substance Use Disorders
• Cannabis Use Reduction

Background:

• Cannabis use disorder is a significant public health concern.
• Digital interventions offer scalable solutions for substance use management.
• Evidence for the effectiveness of digital tools in reducing cannabis use is growing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the ICan digital intervention for reducing cannabis use.
• To compare the ICan intervention with an educational information control group.
• To assess adherence-focused guidance within a digital health platform.

Main Methods:

• A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted.
• Participants (n=378) with high cannabis use were randomized to ICan or a control group.
• Outcomes were measured at 3 and 6 months post-randomization.

Main Results:

• The ICan intervention significantly reduced grams of cannabis used at 3 months compared to the control group (Cohen's d=0.15).
• No significant difference in cannabis use days was observed between groups at 6 months.
• Attitudes towards seeking professional help remained unchanged in both conditions.

Conclusions:

• The ICan digital intervention shows promise for reducing cannabis consumption, particularly in the short term.
• Further research is needed to optimize digital interventions for sustained cannabis use reduction.
• Digital health tools can complement traditional approaches to substance use treatment.