Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37329730›Full record

ArticleDrug and alcohol dependence2023

Cannabis use breaks in young adults: The highs and lows of tolerance breaks.

Emily B Ansell, Margaret F Bedillion, Shayna R Farris, Jack M Gilbert, Mackensie M Koch, Sydney E Thureen

Open access · greenAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Intentions matter: How planned and unplanned alcohol and cannabis use influences outcomes.Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Characterizing users of a mobile application for supporting a 30-day break from cannabis.Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors · 2025
    Article
  4. Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Dysregulates Developing Cortical GABA Circuits.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Emily B AnsellPenn State University, Department of Biobehavioral Health, University Park, PA16802, United States. Electronic address: eba108@psu.edu.
Margaret F BedillionPenn State University, Department of Biobehavioral Health, University Park, PA16802, United States.
Shayna R FarrisPenn State University, Department of Biobehavioral Health, University Park, PA16802, United States.
Jack M GilbertPenn State University, Department of Biobehavioral Health, University Park, PA16802, United States.
Mackensie M KochPenn State University, Department of Biobehavioral Health, University Park, PA16802, United States.
Sydney E ThureenPenn State University, Department of Biobehavioral Health, University Park, PA16802, United States.
Pennsylvania State University · US

Funding

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Cannabis Use Effects in Young AdultsR01DA039924 · NIDA · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI ANSELL, EMILY B · 2016 to 2020
$2.3M
Interpersonal Behaviors, Stress, and AddictionK08DA029641 · NIDA · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI ANSELL, EMILY B · 2011 to 2015
$907k
Effects of Alcohol and Tobacco Co-use on Momentary Subjective Cannabis Effects: Risks for Increasingly Hazardous Cannabis UseF31DA056066 · NIDA · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE · PI BEDILLION, MARGARET · 2022 to 2023
$91k
NIDA NIH HHS F31 DA056066NIDA NIH HHS K08 DA029641NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA039924
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background/purposeCannabis tolerance breaks, or T-breaks, are believed to benefit persons who use cannabis (PUCs) by decreasing tolerance levels to cannabis. However, no prior research, to our knowledge, has compared the effects of T-breaks and other use breaks on cannabis use patterns and outcomes. The current study examined whether the occurrence of cannabis use breaks (tolerance and other use breaks), or the duration of these breaks, is associated with changes in hazardous cannabis use (CUDIT-R), CUD severity, cannabis use frequency, and withdrawal symptoms over a 6-month follow-up.

methodsYoung adults, who recreationally use cannabis, (N=170, 55.9% female, Mean age=21 yo) completed baseline and on-time 6-month assessments of hazardous cannabis use (CUDIT-R), CUD severity, cannabis use frequency, and withdrawal symptoms. The occurrence of cannabis use breaks and the duration of these breaks during the intervening period was assessed at 6 months.

resultsTaking a T-break was associated with an increase in hazardous cannabis use and CUD severity at 6 months. When considering cannabis use breaks for other reasons, a longer break was associated with a significant decrease in hazardous cannabis use (CUDIT-R), CUD severity, and cannabis use frequency at 6 months.

conclusionFindings from our study suggest recreational PUCs who take a T-break may be at greater risk for problematic cannabis use. In addition, taking a longer cannabis use break for other reasons may have beneficial effects on cannabis-related outcomes. The ability to abstain from cannabis for other reasons may be protective while individuals who take T-breaks may be important targets for intervention and prevention.

Indexed as

CannabisMarijuana AbuseAdultFemaleHumansMaleYoung AdultCannabisHazardous useRecreationalT-breakTolerance breakYoung adults

Identifiers

PMID37329730
PMCPMC10561190
OpenAlexW4378975489

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.