The Authors’ Own Words: Brief intervention for daily marijuana users identified by screening in primary care: a subgroup analysis of the ASPIRE randomized clinical trial

The Authors’ Own Words: We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Brief intervention for daily marijuana users identified by screening in primary care: a subgroup analysis of the ASPIRE randomized clinical trial

Daniel Fuster, MD, PhD; Debbie M. Cheng, ScD; Na Wang, MA; Judith A. Bernstein, PhD; Tibor P. Palfai, PhD; Daniel P. Alford, MD, MPH; Jeffrey H. Samet, MD, MA, MPH; & Richard Saitz, MD, MPH

Volume 37, 2016 – Issue 2

“Marijuana is the illicit drug most commonly used by patients in primary care identified by screening, but the efficacy of brief intervention to decrease marijuana use is not known. In this study, we assessed the impact of two brief interventions on marijuana use among daily/ or almost daily marijuana users in primary care. The two brief interventions, a Brief Negotiated Interview lasting 10-15 minute structured interview, and an Adaptation of Motivational Interviewing (MOTIV), that lasted for 30-45 minute intervention, were compared to no intervention. Our results suggest that the two forms of brief intervention have no apparent impact on marijuana use or drug-related problems among primary care patients with frequent marijuana use identified by screening. Therefore, efforts to address marijuana use in non-treatment seeking individuals identified by universal screening should shift from screening and one-time brief intervention to other more intensive interventions.”