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Smartphone Apps for Cannabis Cessation: Quality Assessment and Content Analysis
Siddharth Seth1,2, Sumedha Kushwaha2,3, Reshma Prashad4
1Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth
|May 14, 2026
Summary
Free cannabis cessation apps are of poor quality, lacking evidence-based information. This study highlights a gap in digital tools for cannabis use disorder, urging the development of better mobile health interventions.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health
- Substance Use Disorders
- Mobile Health Interventions
Background:
- Global cannabis use has risen significantly, increasing cannabis-related problems and hospitalizations.
- Mobile applications are emerging as scalable interventions for cannabis use disorders.
- There is a growing need for effective digital tools to support cannabis cessation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the quality of free cannabis cessation mobile applications.
- To analyze features, content, and adherence to evidence-based practices of these apps.
- To identify the availability and quality of digital tools for cannabis cessation.
Main Methods:
- A systematic search identified free cannabis cessation apps on major app stores.
- Four eligible apps were rated using the Mobile App Rating Scale by two independent reviewers.
- Excellent interrater reliability (Cohen κ = 0.893) was achieved.
Main Results:
- Only four free cannabis cessation apps were identified and included in the analysis.
- The overall mean quality score was 3.4 out of 5, indicating poor to acceptable quality.
- Apps scored lowest on information content, lacking evidence-based data, despite good functionality.
Conclusions:
- This study reveals a significant gap between the demand for virtual cessation tools and the quality of available free apps.
- Current free cannabis cessation apps are limited by poor quality and a lack of evidence-based information.
- There is an urgent need for the development and rigorous evaluation of new, evidence-based digital interventions for cannabis cessation.
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