One talk may cut cannabis, alcohol and cigarette use in young people
HelpedThe short version
After one interview, cannabis use fell from about 16 to 5 times a week; the other group's rose to 17.
- 200
- 16 to 20-year-olds who used illegal drugs
- Randomised
- groups picked at random
- Self-rated
- people rated themselves
- 2 tools
- tested
The study
Who took part
200 young people aged 16 to 20 took part at ten further education colleges in London. All had used cannabis weekly or used stimulant drugs in the past three months, and about 45 in 100 were women.
What they did
One group had one interview of up to an hour, about alcohol, tobacco and drugs. It aimed to help them think about changing. The other group had their usual education only.
What happened
Over three months, cigarettes, alcohol and cannabis use all fell in the interview group, while the other group's use went up. Stimulant use stayed about the same in both groups. The cannabis-stopping result did not hold after adjusting, and the groups were not evenly matched at the start.
What the study found
- Helped
After one interview, cannabis use fell from about 16 to 5 times a week; the other group's rose to 17.
- Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested
- Rule: Choose it yourselftested
- Rule: With a coach or therapistused
Randomised trial of 200 16 to 20-year-olds who used illegal drugs · vs young people who got usual education · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; only counted people who finished; summary claims more than the results show
- Helped
After one interview, alcohol fell from about 13 to 8 units a week; the other group rose to 14.
- Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested
- Rule: Choose it yourselftested
- Rule: With a coach or therapistused
Randomised trial of 200 16 to 20-year-olds who used illegal drugs · vs young people who got usual education · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; only counted people who finished; summary claims more than the results show
- Helped
After one interview, cigarettes fell from about 32 to 25 a week; the other group's rose to 39.
- Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested
- Rule: Choose it yourselftested
- Rule: With a coach or therapistused
Randomised trial of 200 16 to 20-year-olds who used illegal drugs · vs young people who got usual education · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; only counted people who finished; summary claims more than the results show
How solid is this?
- Groups picked at random
- People rated themselves
- Whole groups were assigned, not people
- Only counted people who finished
- Summary claims more than the results show
Source
The efficacy of single-session motivational interviewing in reducing drug consumption and perceptions of drug-related risk and harm among young people: results from a multi-site cluster randomized trial (2004)
