Addiction can be a difficult topic to discuss, thanks to the shame and stigma that often surround it. Society sends the harmful message that people struggling with drug and alcohol abuse suffer because of moral failings or poor choices, rather than recognizing addiction as a chronic illness that causes significant changes in the brain.
According to data reported by the United States National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2023, 48.5 million Americans battled substance use disorder. Among American adults aged 12 and over, 10.2% report struggling with alcohol use, 9.6% say they are dependent on drugs, and 2.7% admit to being addicted to both drugs and alcohol.
On top of these alarming figures, the U.S. spends an estimated $532 billion annually on substance abuse education, prevention, and treatment efforts. So not only does addiction have massive personal consequences, it also has negative effects on our communities at large.
Statistics like these have many people considering adopting sober, or sober-curious, lifestyles. But what about a Cali sober lifestyle? Where does that fit in? And is it more of a passing trend, or could it really be the future of responsible substance use?
The term ”Cali sober” has been around for years, but only became popular around 2019, thanks to articles like this one from Vice that discussed the lifestyle extensively. At its core, being Cali sober is relatively simple— it just means using weed or psychedelics, but no other hard drugs or alcohol.
But does being Cali sober really qualify as being sober? That’s the biggest point of contention for many surrounding the term. The answer is kind of.
The medical definition of sobriety is complete abstinence from all substances. So in that regard, no, being Cali sober is not really the same as being fully sober. But, if we’re talking about sobriety as a method of harm reduction— whether that harm reduction looks like stepping back from more damaging substance addictions or just trying to use substances responsibly— then we’d argue that yes, being Cali sober genuinely counts as a type of sobriety.
Like almost any substance, cannabis, when used irresponsibly or in great excess, can be harmful. But generally speaking, it’s pretty low-impact.
Other substances, like alcohol or methamphetamines, can cause long-term organ damage, psychiatric problems, increase cancer risk, disability, or dementia risk, and even lead to death. But studies show that cannabis rarely, if ever, is an acute cause of death. And there is ample evidence that there are dozens of benefits to cannabis use. The National Institute of Health shared evidence that marijuana can be useful in treating many conditions, from chronic pain to insomnia to psychiatric conditions.
Another thing research is showing is that cannabis may be effective in treating addiction to other substances. In a conversation with CNN, Yasmin Hurd, the director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said she believes cannabis, specifically cannabidiol, is a “treatment to consider for opioid addiction and other drugs.” Though she notes, “we still haven’t figured out [exactly] how it works” in affecting those physical processes.
Additionally, swapping cannabis in lieu of harder substances can have positive mental impacts. Speaking to CNN, Joe Schrank, the director of High Sobriety, said that abstinence from addictive substances is “a hard thing for people to do… I don’t know that we give people enough space to grow and develop [when engaging with treatment options].” Using cannabis, he believes, can help bridge that gap between the familiar point of addiction and the harsh reality of life without those cocooning substances.
READ: How to Stop the Munchies After Getting High
For those without prior addiction issues, a Cali sober lifestyle can also be a more responsible choice than regular indulgence in things like alcohol. Instead of winding down with a drink, electing to take an infused beverage or edible is the medically safer option.
The World Health Organization reports that alcohol in even small amounts, like a glass of wine at the end of a long day, can be detrimental to one’s health. The International Agency for Research on Cancer labeled it a Level 1 carcinogen decades ago, on par with things like tobacco and asbestos. And between 2015 and 2019, it’s estimated that excessive alcohol consumption led to over 140,000 deaths.
On the other hand, experts widely agree that using cannabis prudently causes significantly less harm than consuming alcohol. Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician, said to EatingWell, “There are few long-term effects of edibles for most people” so long as they have no underlying health conditions that could be aggravated by weed, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are underage (cannabis consumption is shown to have a negative effects on developing brains).
When taking into consideration all the current research that looks at the physical and mental harms caused by alcohol, hard drugs, and cannabis, it seems clear that going Cali sober is a less harmful and more responsible way to consume substances. As it stands right now, experts agree that cannabis has fewer negative cumulative effects than its alternatives. Where alcohol use over time can lead to things like fatty liver disease and kidney failure, and opioid use can lead to heart and breathing problems, cannabis use over time leads to… nothing. Researchers have not currently linked cannabis to any form of cancer, nor have they identified it as an acute cause of death.
Of course, since scientists have only recently been able to study cannabis due to its recent legalization, future findings could change our understanding. It’s important for frequent cannabis users to keep up with research as it comes out, especially if they have underlying conditions they worry could be affected by their consumption habits.
And, like any other substance out there, it is possible to become dependent on cannabis. While rare, especially when compared to other types of addiction, the CDC still recognizes cannabis use disorder as a real and pressing issue. Being honest with yourself about how your substance consumption impacts your life and relationships is always the most responsible way to indulge in anything.
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