Reduce Your Use

Description:

Reduce Your Use is a self-guided online treatment program for cannabis use. The program includes six core modules based on principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing: Feedback and building motivation, Managing smoking urges and withdrawal, Changing your thinking, Coping strategies and skill enhancement, Activities and interpersonal skills, Relapse prevention and lifestyle changes. There are also several optional extras. Personalised feedback is provided throughout the program and you can review any of the modules that you have previously completed.

Service URL:

https://reduceyouruse.org.au

Agency Responsible:

Cannabis Information and Support (Previously the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC)), University of New South Wales (UNSW).

Details

Format:

Website.

Intervention Types:

Educational (primarily educational material or psychoeducation) and Psychological – CBT. Also Motivational Interviewing

Course Length:

Long (more than 5 modules). Comprises 6 core modules

Support Option:

Automated only.

Target Audience

Primary Category:

Substance abuse. Targets cannabis use

Target Audience:

Adult.

Language:

English.

Access

Fee:

Free.

Access:

Open: With registration.

Contact Details:

Via an online form: https://reduceyouruse.org.au/contact/

Research evidence

Research Trials:

1

Research RCTs:

1

Outcome Summary:

The effectiveness of the Reduce Your Use program has been examined in one study to date.  Participants were randomised to two groups: one received access to the Reduce Your Use online intervention and a second control group received access to online education relating to cannabis use, therefore the trial does not meet the Beacon criteria for an RCT.  

At 6 weeks post-intervention participants reported significantly reduced cannabis use and significantly fewer symptoms of cannabis abuse compared to the educational control group. Cannabis dependence symptoms and past-month abstinence did not differ significantly between groups. At 3 months post-intervention the experimental group reported significantly fewer and less severe cannabis dependence symptoms than the education group, but past month quantity of cannabis consumed was no longer significantly different between groups.  These findings suggest Reduce Your Use may be an effective tool for individuals who want to reduce their cannabis use.  Supporting evidence from further controlled studies (including a comparative no treatment group) would improve the program's rating.

Recommended rating, reviewer 1:

Recommended rating, reviewer 2:

Read more about Beacon's Smiley Rating System.

Research paper citations

Rooke, S.E., Copeland, J., Norberg, M.M., Hine, D.W., McCambridge, J. (in press) Randomized Controlled Trial of Reduce Your Use: a Self-Guided Web-Based Cannabis Treatment Program. Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Rooke, S. E., Gates, P. J., Norberg, M. M., & Copeland, J. (2014). Applying technology to the treatment of cannabis use disorder: comparing telephone versus Internet delivery using data from two completed trials. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 46(1), 78-84.