Frequent cannabis use is associated with cognitive and psychosocial impairments. Problematic cannabis use is driven by an overvaluation of immediate rewards (high delay discounting: DD). Episodic Future Thinking (EFT) aims to reduce DD by expanding the individual’s temporal window. This study evaluated a single-session online goal-EFT intervention’s effectiveness in reducing cannabis craving, examining DD as a mediator, and facilitator-guidance as a moderator. 109 Frequent cannabis users were randomly assigned to a goal-EFT or an Episodic Recent Thinking control group. The delivery format (facilitator-guided vs. self-guided) was simulated post-hoc. Measurements included the CUDIT-R, a Visual Analogue Scale for cannabis craving, and monetary and cannabis-specific 5-trial DD tasks.

Contrary to expectations, results showed no significant effect of the intervention on craving, and (moderated) mediation analyses were not significant. Exploratory analyses revealed that cannabis-specific DD was more state-dependent than monetary DD and showed a stronger association trend with craving. Additionally, most participants met the criteria for a likely Cannabis Use Disorder, and their episodic foresight deficits may have hindered effective engagement with the intervention. In conclusion, a single-session online goal-EFT intervention was insufficient to significantly reduce cannabis craving in this sample. Future research should prioritize intensive, multi-session designs and utilize substance-specific DD measures to better capture shifts in valuation.