A mobile app culturally tailored for Black adults with cannabis use disorder showed strong feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary signals of efficacy in reducing cannabis use in a 50-person proof-of-concept RCT.
Read this if you're interested in cannabis treatment innovation or health equity — this study tests a mobile, culturally tailored approach to addressing cannabis use disorder in an underserved population.
What the researchers found
Black adults who use cannabis face documented health disparities: more frequent use and higher rates of cannabis use disorder compared to White adults, yet they are underrepresented in treatment research and face greater barriers to accessing care. This study tested whether a culturally tailored mobile app could address both the access and the cultural relevance gaps.
The app — CT-MICART (Culturally Tailored Mobile Integrated Cannabis and Anxiety Reduction Treatment) — combined two therapeutic approaches: false safety behavior (FSB) reduction skills (addressing anxiety-driven avoidance patterns) and cannabis use reduction or cessation skills. Cultural tailoring meant the content, language, and examples were specifically designed for Black adult users.
Fifty participants (50% female, mean age 42.9) were randomized to either the app plus ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) or EMAs alone for 6 weeks. The feasibility results were strong: good enrollment, retention, and EMA completion rates. App feature engagement was meaningful — participants actually used the therapeutic content. Acceptability was high based on satisfaction ratings.
Preliminary efficacy signals showed cannabis use reduction in the app group compared to the EMA-only group. This is a proof-of-concept study, so it wasn't powered to definitively prove efficacy, but the direction of the results supports moving to a full-scale trial.
The integration of anxiety reduction with cannabis reduction reflects the recognition that many people use cannabis to manage anxiety — addressing the underlying anxiety may be necessary for sustained cannabis reduction.
Why it matters
Cannabis use disorder treatment research has predominantly studied White populations, and treatment access for Black adults is limited by structural barriers. Mobile interventions can bypass many access barriers (transportation, stigma, work schedules, provider availability), and cultural tailoring may improve engagement and relevance. If CT-MICART proves effective in a larger trial, it would represent a scalable, accessible intervention for an underserved population.
The numbers in context
50 participants. 50% female. Mean age 42.9 years (SD 10.7). 6-week intervention period. Two arms: CT-MICART + EMAs vs. EMAs only. Strong enrollment, retention, and EMA completion rates. Meaningful app feature engagement. Preliminary signals of cannabis use reduction in the app group.
How the study worked
Proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial. 50 Black adults with CUD (50% female, mean age 42.9). Randomized to CT-MICART app + EMAs or EMAs-only for 6 weeks. Feasibility: enrollment, retention, EMA completion. Utilization: app feature engagement. Acceptability: self-reported satisfaction. Preliminary efficacy: cannabis use outcomes.
Who was studied
N=50 Black adults aged 30-55, 50% female, US-based study
What this study cannot tell us
Proof-of-concept with only 50 participants — too small for definitive efficacy conclusions. The 6-week duration may be too short to assess sustained behavior change. The EMA-only control group received some therapeutic benefit from self-monitoring, potentially reducing the between-group difference. No long-term follow-up. Participants were self-selected (motivated enough to join a study), which may not reflect the broader population of Black adults with CUD. The app content is described but specific therapeutic components aren't detailed in the abstract.
How to read the evidence
Proof-of-concept RCT. The randomized design is a strength, but the small sample and short duration limit efficacy conclusions. The primary contribution is establishing feasibility and acceptability — essential prerequisites for a definitive trial.
When this study was published
Published in 2025. A larger definitive trial may be in development based on these proof-of-concept results.
The bigger picture
This study addresses the equity gap in cannabis treatment research. RTHC-00105 (12-week CBT+MET program) showed behavioral treatment works for CUD, but that was a traditional clinic-based program. This mobile approach could reach people who never walk into a clinic. The anxiety-cannabis integration connects to RTHC-00125 (psychological inflexibility as the mechanism linking CUD and mental health) — addressing the psychological drivers of cannabis use, not just the use itself.
Replication
Not stated in abstract.
Funding
Not reported in abstract.
Conflicts of interest
Not reported in abstract.
Questions still open
- Would a full-scale RCT confirm the preliminary efficacy signals? Could the cultural tailoring approach be adapted for other underserved populations? Does the anxiety reduction component drive the cannabis reduction, or would cannabis skills alone be sufficient? Would the app work as a standalone intervention or is it better as a supplement to traditional treatment?
Read the original research
Mobile intervention to address cannabis use disorder among black adults: A proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial.
Behaviour research and therapy, 195, 104889
Behaviour Research and Therapy is a reputable journal focusing on psychological interventions and therapies.
Citation
Garey, Lorra; Jones, Ava A; Nizio, Pamella; Chen, Tzuan A; Buckner, Julia D; Redmond, Brooke Y; Businelle, Michael S; Cheney, Marshall K; Obasi, Ezemenari M; Zvolensky, Michael J. (2025). Mobile intervention to address cannabis use disorder among black adults: A proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial.. Behaviour research and therapy, 195, 104889. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2025.104889
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