An online school program reduced teenagers' intentions to use synthetic cannabis for up to 2 years
A four-lesson internet-based prevention program reduced students' intentions to use synthetic cannabis at 2-year follow-up, with controls 3.5 times more likely to intend use, though full completion of all lessons was key to effectiveness.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers tested a web-based prevention program delivered through school health education classes to 1,126 Australian students across 11 schools. The Climate Schools: Ecstasy and Emerging Drugs module used cartoon storylines to deliver harm-minimization information about ecstasy and new psychoactive substances including synthetic cannabinoids.
At the 2-year follow-up, students in the control group were 3.56 times more likely to intend to use synthetic cannabis compared to those who received the intervention. This effect on intentions was the primary significant finding.
Knowledge about ecstasy and new psychoactive substances was also significantly higher in the intervention group, but only among students who completed all four lessons. Students who received an incomplete dose (three or fewer lessons) showed no significant difference from controls, highlighting that the program needs to be delivered in full to be effective.
Key Numbers
1,126 students from 11 schools. Mean age 14.9 years. Controls 3.56 times more likely to intend synthetic cannabis use (OR = 3.56, p = 0.01). Knowledge significantly higher only in full-dose group (ecstasy p = 0.001, NPS p = 0.04). No significant differences between incomplete dose and controls.
How They Did This
Cluster randomized controlled trial with 1,126 students (mean age 14.9 years) from 11 Australian secondary schools. Five schools received the four-lesson internet-based intervention; six served as controls (health education as usual). Outcomes measured at baseline, post-test, 6, 12, and 24 months included intentions to use, knowledge, and lifetime use of ecstasy and NPS.
Why This Research Matters
Synthetic cannabinoids pose unique dangers because of their unpredictable potency and adverse effects. Finding a scalable, web-based prevention program that reduces intentions to use these substances is valuable, especially given the challenges of keeping prevention content current as new synthetic drugs continuously emerge.
The Bigger Picture
Web-based prevention programs offer scalability that traditional classroom programs cannot match. This study demonstrates that internet-delivered content can produce lasting effects on drug use intentions, but the finding about dose-response (all four lessons needed) has important implications for implementation fidelity.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
The study measured intentions to use rather than actual use as the primary outcome. Students were not blinded to their assignment. Attrition over 2 years may have biased results. The program was tested in Australian schools and may not generalize to other cultural contexts. Self-reported outcomes are subject to response bias.
Questions This Raises
- ?Do reduced intentions to use synthetic cannabis translate to actual use prevention?
- ?Can the program be adapted to address newer synthetic drugs as they emerge?
- ?What minimum dose is needed for the program to be effective?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Controls 3.56 times more likely to intend synthetic cannabis use at 2-year follow-up
- Evidence Grade:
- This is a cluster randomized controlled trial with 2-year follow-up, providing moderate evidence for intention-level effects.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2018. Web-based prevention programs have continued to evolve.
- Original Title:
- Cluster randomised controlled trial of an online intervention to prevent ecstasy and new psychoactive substance use among adolescents: final results and implications for implementation.
- Published In:
- BMJ open, 8(11), e020433 (2018)
- Authors:
- Champion, Katrina E(6), Newton, Nicola Clare(2), Stapinski, Lexine(3), Teesson, Maree
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01617
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can online programs prevent synthetic drug use?
This study found that a four-lesson web-based program reduced teenagers' intentions to use synthetic cannabis at 2-year follow-up. Controls were 3.5 times more likely to intend use. However, the program only worked when all four lessons were completed.
Why focus on intentions rather than actual use?
Intentions to use a substance are a well-established predictor of future use in prevention research. Since synthetic cannabinoid use rates were relatively low, detecting differences in actual use would require much larger samples. Measuring intentions provides an earlier indicator of program effectiveness.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01617APA
Champion, Katrina E; Newton, Nicola Clare; Stapinski, Lexine; Teesson, Maree. (2018). Cluster randomised controlled trial of an online intervention to prevent ecstasy and new psychoactive substance use among adolescents: final results and implications for implementation.. BMJ open, 8(11), e020433. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020433
MLA
Champion, Katrina E, et al. "Cluster randomised controlled trial of an online intervention to prevent ecstasy and new psychoactive substance use among adolescents: final results and implications for implementation.." BMJ open, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020433
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cluster randomised controlled trial of an online interventio..." RTHC-01617. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/champion-2018-cluster-randomised-controlled-trial
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.