Mindfulness-based relapse prevention for cannabis regular users: Preliminary outcomes of a randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Mindfulness-based approaches have shown their effectiveness in caring for patients with substance use disorders (SUD). Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) integrates practices from mindfulness-based interventions and cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention (RP) approaches. This article presents the preliminary results of a study that measures the effectiveness of an MBRP protocol for volunteer cannabis users willing to reduce or stop their consumptions. Twenty cannabis users were randomly assigned to either receive an eight-week outpatient MBRP program or treatment as usual (TAU). Cannabis use was assessed weekly through the timeline follow back (TLFB). Eighty percent of individuals received MBRP treatment and 60% of individuals received TAU completed treatment. Preliminary results did not find significant difference at the end of treatment (week 8) regarding the number of joints smoked. Despite the absence of any significant difference between the two groups, the contribution of mindfulness in the caring of SUD seems encouraging and promising. Many MBRP group participants reported qualitative changes in the way they consumed. This study will be continued in order to evaluate the effectiveness of MBRP on a larger number of subjects.