Researchers Built a Cannabis Harm-Reduction App With Young Adults and It Tested Well
A mobile app called "Joint Effort," designed with young adults to promote safer cannabis use through protective behavioral strategies, received strong usability ratings.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
The app scored 4.43 out of 5.0 on the Mobile Application Rating Scale, with particularly high marks for functionality (4.60) and aesthetics (4.53).
Key Numbers
Overall quality score: 4.43/5.0. Functionality: 4.60/5.0. Aesthetics: 4.53/5.0. Information quality: 4.44/5.0. Engagement: 4.14/5.0. 90% agreed the training addressed a need.
How They Did This
Researchers used intervention mapping and co-design with young adults through focus groups. Twenty university students (mean age 21.8) tested the prototype.
Why This Research Matters
Most cannabis interventions focus on abstinence. This app takes a harm-reduction approach, helping young adults who choose to use cannabis do so with lower risk.
The Bigger Picture
With cannabis legalization expanding globally, tools that help people use cannabis more safely fill an important gap.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Only 20 testers, all university students from one campus. Usability testing does not demonstrate efficacy in changing behaviors.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does using the app actually reduce cannabis-related harms?
- ?Would it work equally well with non-university populations?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 4.43/5.0 overall quality rating from young adult testers
- Evidence Grade:
- Usability study with 20 participants; demonstrates acceptability but not behavioral outcomes.
- Study Age:
- 2025 publication of a recently developed intervention
- Original Title:
- A Mobile App (Joint Effort) to Support Cannabis Use Self-Management and Reinforce the Use of Protective Behavioral Strategies: Development Process and Usability Testing.
- Published In:
- JMIR formative research, 9, e71924 (2025)
- Authors:
- Côté, José(6), Auger, Patricia(2), Chicoine, Gabrielle(3), Cheng, Jinghui, Cossette, Sylvie, Fontaine, Guillaume, Genest, Christine, Lal, Shalini, Lapierre, Judith, Pagé, M Gabrielle, Maheu-Cadotte, Marc-André, Rouleau, Geneviève, Vinette, Billy, Jutras-Aswad, Didier
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06266
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What are protective behavioral strategies for cannabis?
These are specific actions people can take to reduce risks when using cannabis, such as avoiding driving after use, limiting how often they use, choosing lower-potency products, or not mixing cannabis with alcohol.
Is the app available to download?
According to the study, the prototype has been developed into an iOS app and larger evaluations are underway.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06266APA
Côté, José; Auger, Patricia; Chicoine, Gabrielle; Cheng, Jinghui; Cossette, Sylvie; Fontaine, Guillaume; Genest, Christine; Lal, Shalini; Lapierre, Judith; Pagé, M Gabrielle; Maheu-Cadotte, Marc-André; Rouleau, Geneviève; Vinette, Billy; Jutras-Aswad, Didier. (2025). A Mobile App (Joint Effort) to Support Cannabis Use Self-Management and Reinforce the Use of Protective Behavioral Strategies: Development Process and Usability Testing.. JMIR formative research, 9, e71924. https://doi.org/10.2196/71924
MLA
Côté, José, et al. "A Mobile App (Joint Effort) to Support Cannabis Use Self-Management and Reinforce the Use of Protective Behavioral Strategies: Development Process and Usability Testing.." JMIR formative research, 2025. https://doi.org/10.2196/71924
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "A Mobile App (Joint Effort) to Support Cannabis Use Self-Man..." RTHC-06266. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/cote-2025-a-mobile-app-joint
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.