RECAB

In December 2022, the Rewards for Cannabis Abstinence (RECAB) study has started. This is the first major clinical trial in the Netherlands to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of abstinence-focused contingency management (CM) for young people with cannabis use disorder.

During a CM treatment, abstinence from alcohol or drugs is encouraged by intensively and systematically rewarding the desired behavior, as verified through urinalysis. There is robust evidence that CM is effective in treating substance use disorder among adults. For adolescents with cannabis use disorder, CM also appears promising; however, further research is needed to assess the costs and benefits of CM as a standalone treatment.

In this multicenter trial including 154 adolescents with cannabis use disorder, we compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of CM as a standalone treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy as treatment as usual for cannabis use disorder.

collaborations

This project is conducted in collaboration with the following partners:

• The participating (youth) addiction care institutions Brijder Jeugd Noord- and Zuid-Holland, Antes Youz Verslavingszorg, and Novadic-Kentron;

• Leiden University, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, and the Trimbos Institute;

• Stichting het Zwarte Gat, the national network for (former) clients and family councils in addiction care;

• The General Clinical Laboratory (AKL) of the IJsselland Hospital.
  
  

FUNDING

This research project is funded by ZonMw (programma Doelmatigheid) and co-financed by Verslavingskunde Nederland and Stichting tot Steun VCVGZ.