Characterizing users of a mobile application for supporting a 30-day break from cannabis

Daily cannabis use continues to increase, with over 19 million Americans meeting the past-year criteria for cannabis use disorder. Despite the availability of effective treatments, engagement remains low, as many individuals prefer to self-manage their cannabis use or are not interested in quitting entirely. The rise of the "sober curious" movement and temporary abstinence challenges, combined with widespread digital technology use, presents opportunities for scalable, wellness-oriented digital cannabis reduction interventions. This study characterizes individuals who downloaded a mobile app designed to facilitate a 30-day cannabis break.

This secondary analysis used data from 4,415 self-selected Clear30 app users who completed a baseline assessment prior to their 30-day cannabis break. Measures included demographics, cannabis use behaviors, and motivations for taking a break.

Most participants (83.3%) were aged 18-25, and 86.0% used cannabis 6-7 days per week. Two thirds (70.2%) believed that their cannabis use was at least as beneficial as it was harmful. Most (80.0%) had previously attempted a cannabis break. The top reasons for taking a break included gaining mental clarity (46.7%), improving self-control (30.7%), and reducing dependency (26.2%). Over half (58.9%) aimed to reduce their use after the 30-day break, while 24.4% intended to quit entirely.

This mobile health intervention supporting temporary cannabis abstinence may be especially appealing to young adults with daily cannabis use. While scalable approaches like this offer a promising tool for individuals seeking to reduce or quit cannabis use independently, further research is needed to assess their efficacy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).