Attempts to stop or reduce daily cannabis use: An intensive natural history study.

Abstract

We attempted to replicate and add to our prior study of attempts to stop or reduce cannabis use among daily cannabis users trying to change on their own, by observing a larger sample and adding further clinically-relevant outcomes. Daily users (n = 193) who intended to stop or reduce sometime in the next 3 months called an Interactive Voice Response system each morning for 3 months to report on cannabis use, attempts to stop or reduce, withdrawal symptoms, etc., on the prior day. This study replicated our prior findings that a) cannabis users trying to change make many, and often rapid, transitions among use as usual, reduction and abstinence; b) reduction attempts are more common than abstinence attempts; c) quit and reduction attempts are short-lived and few participants achieve long-term abstinence; d) alcohol and drug use are not greater on abstinence days; and e) few users seek treatment. Novel findings included f) a greater number of days of abstinence or intentional reduction predicted a greater decline in cannabis dependence; g) most users do not prepare before their quit attempt; h) coping outcomes during abstinence predict increased duration of abstinence; i) tobacco use is less common on days of abstinence; and j) withdrawal symptoms occur even with short quit attempts. Replication tests in more generalizable samples and of longer duration are indicated. Further natural history studies are likely to provide information to help improve the content of psychological treatments for cannabis use.

Retention strategies in longitudinal cohort studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Waves Study Duration (years) No. Retention Strategies Clinical cohort studies Adolescent and adult non-injecting heroin users [ 32 ] Project Brown 300 16–40 98% 2 1.00 9 Adolescent/young adult cancer patients [ 33 ] Resilience in Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer Study 52 17.6 35% 3 1.50 4 Adolescent/Young Adult mobile young injection drug users [ 34 ] 101 22 48% 6 2.00 9 Adolescents and young adults with Type 1 Diabetes [ 35 ] Young Adult Diabetes Assessment (YADA) 204 17–18 97% 3 5.00 18 Adult asthmatic pregnant women [ 36 ] Syracuse AUDIT (Assessment of Urban Dwellings for Indoor Toxics) 103 25.4 86% 5 1.00 9 Adult cannabis users [ 37 ] 193 32 84% 90 0.25 3 Adult entitlement claimants from the Accident Compensation Corporation [ 38 ] Prospective Outcomes of Injury Study (POIS) 2856 18–64 79% 4 2.00 4 Adult major trauma patients [ 39 ] Victorian State Trauma Registry 1102 40 70% 2 0.50 <...>…”

Systematic review of outcome domains and measures used in psychosocial and pharmacological treatment trials for cannabis use disorder

“…While abstinence is the most common primary outcome for CUD intervention trials, reduction in use is frequently reported as a primary or secondary outcome in CUD interventions, and reduction attempts are more common among cannabis users attempting to change cannabis use patterns (Hughes et al, 2016). The majority of trials included in the current review reported an outcome measuring reduction in frequency and quantity of use, and nearly 50% of trials included reduction as a primary outcome.…”

The Current State of Pharmacological Treatments for Cannabis Use Disorder and Withdrawal

“…Most heavy cannabis users interested in changing their use, are unsuccessful when left to their own devices (Hughes et al, 2016). Evidence-based psychotherapies have been studied to treat CUD, and various approaches have been shown to have clinical utility (Budney et al, 2000;Budney et al, 2006;Copeland et al, 2001).…”