Cannabis is safe for most people. But for young people with a predisposition to psychosis, it can pose some risks.
For years, the conversation around these risks has been stuck on repeat: scare stories, abstinence-only advice, and little acknowledgement of the reality that many young people will continue to use cannabis, even if they’ve been advised not to.
But a new study out of Canada is flipping that script. Instead of wagging a finger at young adults who’ve experienced a first episode of psychosis, researchers at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre have built a phone app designed to meet them where they’re at.
It’s called CHAMPS (Cannabis Harm-reducing App to Manage Practices Safely) – a clunky acronym for what might be an effective tool to help people use weed more safely, rather than demanding they quit outright.
The app -built with input from young adults themselves – offers interactive modules, personalised guidance, and harm-reduction strategies. In the pilot study, over 100 participants across six psychosis clinics in Canada tried it out. and the results were encouraging. While it’s too early to call it a success, young people responded positively, and there were early signals of reduced cannabis-related problems.
And that’s important, because standard “just stop” advice is often inadequate. Many at-risk cannabis consumers don’t want to quit – at least not straight away. But they are open to change, especially if the approach is non-judgmental.
Professor Didier Jutras-Aswad, who leads the project, frames it as part of a broader shift of humanising and destigmatising cannabis in mental health care. “It’s very important that we change perceptions, practices and philosophies in order to more broadly adopt harm reduction in mental health care,” he says.
For the UK, where cannabis remains criminalised and stigma around psychosis is heavy, the harm-reduction focus of the CHAMPS app represents a novel solution. Would a tools like this work here? Why is harm reduction so often left to grassroots organisations and underground communities?
If cannabis is here to stay (and it clearly is), then we owe young people more than fear-mongering campaigns. They deserve honest, evidence-based support that respects their choices while reducing risks.
An app like CHAMPS won’t “solve” cannabis-related psychosis. But it could give people a tool for safer use. Cannabis policy (and drugs policy in general) shouldn’t be based on abstinence and punishment, it should be about compassion, reality, and risk reduction.
Harm Reduction in the UK: What It Could Look Like
- Switch from smoking to vaping: Dry herb vaporisers cut out the toxins from combustion.
- Choose lower-THC strains: Opt for balanced flower with higher CBD content to reduce psychosis risk.
- Mind your set & setting: Use in safe, comfortable environments to minimise stress and paranoia.
- Track your use: Journaling consumption can highlight patterns and reduce risky binges.
- Support, not stigma: Access to non-judgemental services (like drug charities, mental health support groups, and cannabis education hubs) should be normalised.
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