Four Types of Cannabis Users and How They Differ When Trying to Quit

Four profiles emerged: low-risk (42%), rapidly escalating high-risk (27%), long-term high severity (24%), and long-term lower severity (7%). The rapidly escalating group had attempted to cut down more times than any other group. In the long-term high severity group, more participants found their use stayed the same or worsened after their last cessation attempt.

Cross-sectional study of 147 Canadian adults who had attempted to decrease or quit cannabis. Participants were recruited from community (57%) and crowdsourcing (43%). Latent Profile Analysis was used to identify user profiles based on demographics, substance use patterns, mental health symptoms, and quality of life.

One-size-fits-all quit programs may not work for cannabis. Identifying distinct user profiles could help match people to the right level of intervention.

As cannabis legalization expands, more people may seek help reducing their use. Understanding that different user profiles respond differently to cessation efforts could improve treatment outcomes and resource allocation.

Small sample size (n=147), especially for the long-term lower severity group (n=10). Cross-sectional design cannot show how profiles develop over time. Self-selected sample of people who had already tried to quit.