Research Appraisals
Evidence-based critical appraisals of the latest medical research, systematically evaluated using Oxford CEBM methodology.
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JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Smartphone Apps for Cannabis Cessation: Quality Assessment and Content Analysis
BACKGROUND: Over the past 2 decades, global rates of cannabis use have risen significantly, especially among young adults. This has corresponded to an increase in cannabis-related problems and hospitalizations. Thus, there has been significant interest in developing new interventions that can help facilitate cannabis cessation and reduce hospitalization rates. Specifically, mobile apps have emerged as scalable and accessible stand-alone or adjunct interventions that can help individuals with cannabis use disorders. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of free cannabis cessation apps available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, focusing on the analysis of their features, content, and adherence to evidence-based practices. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in April 2023 using a variety of keywords. The apps were deemed eligible if they were free, available in English, accessible on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, and related to cannabis cessation. Eligible apps were used for at least 1 month and were rated on the Mobile App Rating Scale by 2 reviewers. Interrater reliability was excellent, with a weighted Cohen κ of 0.893 (95% CI 0.835-0.943). RESULTS: Four apps were included in the analysis, namely, "Grounded-Quit Weed," "Quit Weed," "Marijuana Addiction Calendar," and "Marijuana Anonymous." The mean overall quality score of the apps was 3.4 out of 5, indicating poor to acceptable quality. The apps scored the highest on the "functionality" section and the lowest on the "information" section. Of the 4 apps, 3 focused on tracking cannabis use and duration of abstinence, whereas 1 focused on peer support. A limited number of cannabis cessation apps were identified, and those that were available were of low quality due to a lack of evidence-based information. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to evaluate the current availability and quality of mobile apps designed for cannabis cessation. Unlike previous research that broadly assessed cannabis-related mobile apps, this study focuses on the limited number of free cannabis cessation tools, reflecting what is most available to the general population. The findings highlight a significant gap between the growing demand for virtual cessation tools and the quality of existing options. With the rising global prevalence of cannabis use disorders, there is an increasing need for robust, accessible, and evidence-based therapeutic options. While mobile health apps may be a viable option to support cannabis cessation, the current landscape is limited by poor quality apps and a lack of evidence-based information. From a real-world perspective, this study highlights the need for users to exercise caution when relying on current cannabis cessation apps and underscores the urgent need for the development and evaluation of new evidence-based digital interventions.
17 May 2026
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Stimulating Future-Oriented Thinking and Goal-Achievement Through the Future Self Using Virtual Reality and a Smartphone App: Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND: Research suggests that identification with one's future self-encompassing vividness, connectedness, and valence-plays a key role in motivating future-oriented choices and goal pursuit. Interventions aiming to strengthen future self-identification have been shown to reduce maladaptive behaviors and promote well-being, but traditional approaches often rely heavily on imagination. Emerging technologies offer novel opportunities to make the future self more vivid and tangible, potentially reducing cognitive burden, and enhancing intervention effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a digital intervention on the following primary outcomes: future self-identification, future orientation, consideration of future consequences, self-defeating behavior, goal commitment, and goal achievement. METHODS: In this parallel, 3-arm randomized controlled trial, 321 first-year students from a large public university in the Netherlands were randomized (1:1:1) with blocks of 9 to a smartphone app-based future-self intervention, an immersive virtual reality (VR) version of the same intervention, or an active goal-setting control condition. Participants assigned to the smartphone or VR condition engaged with the intervention over a 3-week period, during which they interacted with their 10-year-old self, their future self. Participants in the control condition received no further support. Each of the 3 conditions consisted of 107 participants, who were all included in the analyses following the intention-to-treat principle. Due to the nature of the intervention, blinding was not possible. RESULTS: Compared to the goal-setting control condition, both intervention conditions yielded significant short-term improvements on all 3 aspects of future self-identification (smartphone: dvividness=0.49; dvalence=0.44; dconnectedness=0.43; VR: dvividness=0.35; dvalence=0.44; dconnectedness=0.43), and a small decline in vividness (smartphone: d=-0.36; VR: d=-0.23) and connectedness (smartphone: d=-0.36; VR: d=-0.32) at 6-month follow-up. Additionally, the intervention buffered declines in future orientation during the study period (smartphone: d=.16; VR: d=0.18), and VR delivery led to significantly higher weekly goal achievement (d=0.88). However, effects on future orientation were not sustained over time (smartphone: d=-0.18; VR: d=-0.25), resulting in similar levels across conditions at 6-month follow-up. Furthermore, no significant effects emerged for other primary or secondary outcomes, such as self-defeating behavior (smartphone: doverall=-0.10; VR: doverall=-0.03), impulsivity (smartphone: doverall=-0.07; VR: doverall=-0.09), or academic performance (η2partial=0.00). No adverse events were reported in any of the conditions. CONCLUSIONS: This randomized controlled trial innovatively compares smartphone and immersive VR future-self interventions. Findings suggest that digital interventions leveraging visual and interactive representations of the future self can strengthen future self-identification and future orientation, and support (short-term) goal pursuit. Together, they highlight the potential of scalable digital future self approaches for educational and preventive health contexts.
15 May 2026
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