The Weed-Check is based on the successful Australian Adolescent Cannabis Check-up (ACCU). This Australian intervention has been translated by the Trimbos Institute and adapted to the Dutch situation. It is becoming increasingly clear that regular cannabis use has a negative effect on both physical and mental health and on the social functioning of users, particularly when used from an early age. As a result of this knowledge, the need for evidence-based interventions has increased.
Young people in the Netherlands often start to use cannabis at a fairly early age, and don't regard their cannabis use to be a problem, whereas in reality they are taking a risk. For this reason it is important that explicit attention should be paid within a stepped care programme to youngsters who are not (yet) in need of treatment. To date, no interventions in the Netherlands have been researched for their effect on this specific group. The Weed-Check can fill this gap, which is particularly important since addiction care organisations are increasingly setting up treatment centres for youngsters. And it means that adequate referral possibilities will be available, should the Weed-Check reveal that youngsters need and want treatment.
What is the Weed-Check?
The Weed-Check consists of at most two interviews with an addiction care prevention professional. The prevention professional will talk to the young person about the pros and cons, the risks of cannabis use and its side effects. The purpose of these interviews is not so much to persuade the youngsters to stop or cut down on cannabis use, but to get them to think about what hashish and weed do to their body and what they have to gain or use from using the drug. The intervention is ideally suited to integration in the 'front office' of addiction care, for example for use in (prevention) talks given at schools.
Research
Because the Weed-Check is new in the Netherlands, the Trimbos Institute is conducting research on its effectiveness. The research will be conducted in 2011 and 2012.
More information: Debbie van der Linden
