Development of a Web platform to reduce cannabis use among youth who attend adult education centres
Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug among young adults. Its use is associated with academic failure and school dropout. Web platforms are an increasingly popular way to intervene with young people. The goal of this article is to present the methodology and results of each step in the development of a Web platform to reduce cannabis use among young adults returning to school. Intervention mapping was used as a guide in developing this intervention. The determinants of the problem were documented first. This information was used to develop a matrix of objectives and to choose intervention methods. Lastly, priority population and partner involvement are described, along with the evaluation design. Seven sequences of five brief onscreen presentations were developed to help young people recognize risk situations for cannabis use and make the decision to deal with these situations and reduce or abstain from use. Several methods were used to create intervention content including tailored, feedback and modeling. Intervention mapping allowed us to connect community knowledge to theory and empirical findings. A randomized trial is currently underway to verify the effectiveness of this intervention on cannabis use among young adults.