Testing the Effects of Cann'App, a Digital Intervention for Cannabis Harm Reduction

NCT ID: NCT07157540

Last Updated: 2026-01-12

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

565 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-01-05

Study Completion Date

2027-08-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a digital web application can prevent the risks related to cannabis use among adult regular cannabis users who are enrolled in a pilot trial for cannabis sales regulation conducted in Lausanne, Switzerland (i.e., Cann-L study) and have agreed that their data were used in other studies.

The main question it aims to answer is:

Do participants who have access to the intervention modules of the web application raise their use of protective behavioral strategies to lower cannabis-related risks?

Researchers will compare the intervention modules to a control module (i.e., information on cannabis-related risks and harm reduction) to see if the web application works to prevent the risks related to cannabis use. They will also compare intervention modules across each other to see whether one works better than another.

Participants will:

* Create a user account in the web application
* Access the web application using a laptop, tablet or smartphone
* Use the web application as they wish throughout the duration of the study
* Complete the regular Cann-L study questionnaires every six months, which will be used to measure their cannabis use and related risks.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Cannabis Use Harm Reduction

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

FACTORIAL

Monocentric 5-arm fractional factorial randomized controlled trial.
Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Investigators Outcome Assessors
The randomization will be imbedded within the application, therefore concealment of allocation will be total. Participants will be blind to their experimental condition. Research staff involved in the study will not be informed of participants' group allocation. All study assessments will be done electronically. The generation of the randomization sequence and its programing into the study website will be conducted by the developing team who will not have contacts with participants or any involvement in the study implementation and analyses.

Study Groups

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Condition 1 - Personalized Feedback + Information

Access to "Personalized Feedback" module (PF, Study Intervention) and "Information" module (Minimal, Control Intervention)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Personalized Feedback on Cannabis Protective Behavioral Strategies, Cannabis Use, Cannabis Expenditures, and Cannabis-Related Consequences (PF)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

PF comprises the following content:

* Self-reported PBS questionnaire, personalized feedback on PBS, possibility to select strategies to start using or use more often, possibility to set a reminder to use PBS strategies.
* Short questionnaire on cannabis use (frequency/number of hours under the influence) and normative feedback on participant's cannabis use as compared to people of same age and gender in the general population and among Cann-L participants.
* Question on money spent for cannabis purchase, personalized feedback (total amount spent and corresponding number of grams of cannabis over one year), gamified gauge to picture potential yearly savings, reflection on how to use the saved money, and possibility to set a reminder for money saving objectives.
* Questionnaire on cannabis-related consequences, feedback on the level of consequences met, question about which consequence(s) participant might want to think about, and possibility to set a reminder to think about consequences.

Information

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Minimal intervention (Control Intervention), consisting of simple, text-only web pages containing information on cannabis effects and health-related risks, cannabis consumption modes, cannabis harm reduction and protective behavioral strategies, as well as hyperlinks to additional resources and online help.

Condition 2 - Imagine the future + Information

Access to "Imagine the Future" module (IMAGIN, Study Intervention) and "Information" module (Minimal, Control Intervention)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Imagining the Future Using Counterfactual Thinking and Episodic Future Thinking (IMAGIN)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Two-task intervention including:

1. Counterfactual thinking:

* Description of a recent negative situation related to cannabis use encountered by the participant
* Identification of a preventive strategy that would have addressed this situation
* Writing a sentence formatted as "If only +preventive strategy, then + description on how the specific past problem would have improved"
* Assessment of participant's intention and confidence in using the preventive strategy
* Imagining a future situation using this preventive strategy
* Possibility to set a reminder of the preventive strategy.
2. Episodic future thinking:

* Description of a significant positive event that might occur in the short-term (3 months) and that does not involve cannabis use
* Assessment of the importance and enjoyment of this positive event
* Encouragement to imagine it as vividly as possible
* Suggestion to describe the positive event in detail and to write it down
* Possibility to set a reminder of the positive event.

Information

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Minimal intervention (Control Intervention), consisting of simple, text-only web pages containing information on cannabis effects and health-related risks, cannabis consumption modes, cannabis harm reduction and protective behavioral strategies, as well as hyperlinks to additional resources and online help.

Condition 3 - Substance-Free Activities Session + Information

Access to "Substance-Free Activities Session" module (SFAS, Study Intervention) and "Information" module (Minimal, Control Intervention)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral Economics-Informed Exercises to Increase Motivation to Engage in Substance-Free Activities (SFAS)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

SFAS includes:

* A questionnaire on how participant value different aspects of their life, and feedback on valued domains.
* Two open-ended questions on short- and long-term life goals.
* A questionnaire assessing time allocation (hours per week allocated to different activities, e.g. socializing, working, etc.), and personalized feedback including the time spent using substances and recovering from their effects.
* Gamified exercise to imagine allocating time in a different way.
* List of substance-free recreational activities in the region of Lausanne, with possibility to select activities on a "wish-list" including internet hyperlinks.
* Possibility to set a reminder of the selected activities.
* Single-item questionnaire on stress and mood, and feedback on stress and mood level.
* Open-ended question on coping strategies currently used for stress and mood.
* List of coping strategies that can be selected.
* Possibility to set a reminder of stress/mood coping strategies.

Information

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Minimal intervention (Control Intervention), consisting of simple, text-only web pages containing information on cannabis effects and health-related risks, cannabis consumption modes, cannabis harm reduction and protective behavioral strategies, as well as hyperlinks to additional resources and online help.

Condition 4 - Full Intervention + Information

Access to the full intervention (PF+IMAGIN+SFAS) and "Information" module (Minimal, Control Intervention)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Personalized Feedback on Cannabis Protective Behavioral Strategies, Cannabis Use, Cannabis Expenditures, and Cannabis-Related Consequences (PF)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

PF comprises the following content:

* Self-reported PBS questionnaire, personalized feedback on PBS, possibility to select strategies to start using or use more often, possibility to set a reminder to use PBS strategies.
* Short questionnaire on cannabis use (frequency/number of hours under the influence) and normative feedback on participant's cannabis use as compared to people of same age and gender in the general population and among Cann-L participants.
* Question on money spent for cannabis purchase, personalized feedback (total amount spent and corresponding number of grams of cannabis over one year), gamified gauge to picture potential yearly savings, reflection on how to use the saved money, and possibility to set a reminder for money saving objectives.
* Questionnaire on cannabis-related consequences, feedback on the level of consequences met, question about which consequence(s) participant might want to think about, and possibility to set a reminder to think about consequences.

Imagining the Future Using Counterfactual Thinking and Episodic Future Thinking (IMAGIN)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Two-task intervention including:

1. Counterfactual thinking:

* Description of a recent negative situation related to cannabis use encountered by the participant
* Identification of a preventive strategy that would have addressed this situation
* Writing a sentence formatted as "If only +preventive strategy, then + description on how the specific past problem would have improved"
* Assessment of participant's intention and confidence in using the preventive strategy
* Imagining a future situation using this preventive strategy
* Possibility to set a reminder of the preventive strategy.
2. Episodic future thinking:

* Description of a significant positive event that might occur in the short-term (3 months) and that does not involve cannabis use
* Assessment of the importance and enjoyment of this positive event
* Encouragement to imagine it as vividly as possible
* Suggestion to describe the positive event in detail and to write it down
* Possibility to set a reminder of the positive event.

Behavioral Economics-Informed Exercises to Increase Motivation to Engage in Substance-Free Activities (SFAS)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

SFAS includes:

* A questionnaire on how participant value different aspects of their life, and feedback on valued domains.
* Two open-ended questions on short- and long-term life goals.
* A questionnaire assessing time allocation (hours per week allocated to different activities, e.g. socializing, working, etc.), and personalized feedback including the time spent using substances and recovering from their effects.
* Gamified exercise to imagine allocating time in a different way.
* List of substance-free recreational activities in the region of Lausanne, with possibility to select activities on a "wish-list" including internet hyperlinks.
* Possibility to set a reminder of the selected activities.
* Single-item questionnaire on stress and mood, and feedback on stress and mood level.
* Open-ended question on coping strategies currently used for stress and mood.
* List of coping strategies that can be selected.
* Possibility to set a reminder of stress/mood coping strategies.

Information

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Minimal intervention (Control Intervention), consisting of simple, text-only web pages containing information on cannabis effects and health-related risks, cannabis consumption modes, cannabis harm reduction and protective behavioral strategies, as well as hyperlinks to additional resources and online help.

Condition 5 - Information only (Control)

Access to "Information" module (Minimal, Control Intervention)

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Information

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Minimal intervention (Control Intervention), consisting of simple, text-only web pages containing information on cannabis effects and health-related risks, cannabis consumption modes, cannabis harm reduction and protective behavioral strategies, as well as hyperlinks to additional resources and online help.

Interventions

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Personalized Feedback on Cannabis Protective Behavioral Strategies, Cannabis Use, Cannabis Expenditures, and Cannabis-Related Consequences (PF)

PF comprises the following content:

* Self-reported PBS questionnaire, personalized feedback on PBS, possibility to select strategies to start using or use more often, possibility to set a reminder to use PBS strategies.
* Short questionnaire on cannabis use (frequency/number of hours under the influence) and normative feedback on participant's cannabis use as compared to people of same age and gender in the general population and among Cann-L participants.
* Question on money spent for cannabis purchase, personalized feedback (total amount spent and corresponding number of grams of cannabis over one year), gamified gauge to picture potential yearly savings, reflection on how to use the saved money, and possibility to set a reminder for money saving objectives.
* Questionnaire on cannabis-related consequences, feedback on the level of consequences met, question about which consequence(s) participant might want to think about, and possibility to set a reminder to think about consequences.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Imagining the Future Using Counterfactual Thinking and Episodic Future Thinking (IMAGIN)

Two-task intervention including:

1. Counterfactual thinking:

* Description of a recent negative situation related to cannabis use encountered by the participant
* Identification of a preventive strategy that would have addressed this situation
* Writing a sentence formatted as "If only +preventive strategy, then + description on how the specific past problem would have improved"
* Assessment of participant's intention and confidence in using the preventive strategy
* Imagining a future situation using this preventive strategy
* Possibility to set a reminder of the preventive strategy.
2. Episodic future thinking:

* Description of a significant positive event that might occur in the short-term (3 months) and that does not involve cannabis use
* Assessment of the importance and enjoyment of this positive event
* Encouragement to imagine it as vividly as possible
* Suggestion to describe the positive event in detail and to write it down
* Possibility to set a reminder of the positive event.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Behavioral Economics-Informed Exercises to Increase Motivation to Engage in Substance-Free Activities (SFAS)

SFAS includes:

* A questionnaire on how participant value different aspects of their life, and feedback on valued domains.
* Two open-ended questions on short- and long-term life goals.
* A questionnaire assessing time allocation (hours per week allocated to different activities, e.g. socializing, working, etc.), and personalized feedback including the time spent using substances and recovering from their effects.
* Gamified exercise to imagine allocating time in a different way.
* List of substance-free recreational activities in the region of Lausanne, with possibility to select activities on a "wish-list" including internet hyperlinks.
* Possibility to set a reminder of the selected activities.
* Single-item questionnaire on stress and mood, and feedback on stress and mood level.
* Open-ended question on coping strategies currently used for stress and mood.
* List of coping strategies that can be selected.
* Possibility to set a reminder of stress/mood coping strategies.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Information

Minimal intervention (Control Intervention), consisting of simple, text-only web pages containing information on cannabis effects and health-related risks, cannabis consumption modes, cannabis harm reduction and protective behavioral strategies, as well as hyperlinks to additional resources and online help.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Eligible participants will be those included in the pilot trial of cannabis sales regulation in Lausanne, Switzerland (Cann-L study).


* being adult (\>18 years old),
* having current cannabis use (i.e., use at least once a month over the last 6 months)
* living in the city of Lausanne. To enter the study, they complete an entry assessment verifying their age and proof of residence, and confirming that they have current cannabis use.

Exclusion Criteria

* being younger than 18 years old,
* being pregnant or breastfeeding,
* having a health condition contraindicating the use of cannabis (e.g., severe psychiatric disorder).

The consent to participate in the Cann-L parent trial comprises an option to be contacted to participate in sub-studies, including studies on prevention measures. All participants having accepted to be so contacted will be proposed to participate in the present study.


* not providing informed consent to participate in sub-studies, including studies on prevention measures,
* not providing informed consent to participate in the present study.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Swiss National Science Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Apptitude

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Addiction Switzerland

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Jacques Gaume

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Jacques Gaume

PhD scientist

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Jacques Gaume, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Lausanne Hospitals

Locations

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Lausanne University Hospital

Lausanne, Vaud Canton, Switzerland

Site Status

Countries

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Switzerland

Other Identifiers

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10001E_220072

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

2025-00428

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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