What Is California Sober…and Is It Really an Alternative to Substance Abuse?

California sober – or Cali sober – is a view of recovery in which a person stops using every substance except for cannabis/marijuana. It’s part of a trend by sober curious people that started with “Dry January” in which people abstained from drinking during the month of January.

While we’re all for people trying to cut down – or cut out – their substance use, California sober seems to forget something fairly important: that cannabis itself is a mind-altering (and addictive) substance.

What Is California Sober?

Although there isn’t a strict definition of the term, most people seem to define “California sober” as avoiding “hard” drugs like cocaine and heroin in favor of “soft” drugs like alcohol and cannabis, although most people who practice California sober avoid alcohol – or drink it in strict moderation.

The concept of California sober isn’t really easy to define – if you’re still using substances, is “sober” even the right label? Plus, different people have different ideas of what California sober really is. For some, California sober means using alcohol and cannabis in strict moderation.

California sober seems to be part of a trend, especially in young people of avoiding alcohol. A Gallup poll conducted in 2023 found that rates of alcohol use in people aged between 18 to 34 showed a noticeable decline (but the same poll found an increase in alcohol consumption in people aged 55 and older).

Is California Sober a New Concept?

It's unclear how the term California sober was born, or why this form of sobriety is associated with California.

As a term, California sober seems to date back to around 2016. A Vice.com article from 2019 explores the term in detail. In it, the writer explains how avoiding every drug except for weed and psychedelics seemed to create real improvements in her life. In 2021, Demi Lovato used the term for a song title. A recovery figure herself, Lovato has since gone to promote abstinence from all drugs.

Is California Sober a Form of Harm Reduction?

You could consider California sober a form of harm reduction. Because it steers people away from more harmful drugs like opioids, benzodiazepines, and stimulants like meth, California sober may actually help people who are resistant to other forms of advocacy to consider changing their drug consumption habits.

This isn’t to say that alcohol and cannabis are harmless, however. Alcohol, although legal and widely available, has caused devastating legal and health for people for centuries. Meanwhile, while cannabis may not be as dangerous as drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl, it’s still an addictive drug that can disrupt a person’s life like any other substance can.

Plus, there’s health risks to cannabis that aren’t always readily apparent. A recent study from USC’s Head and Neck Center found that cannabis use was associated with a greater risk of head and neck cancers, likely due to cannabis smoking.

What Is Harm Reduction?

According to Harm Reduction International, an advocacy group for drug law reform, harm reduction is a system of policies, laws, and efforts to minimize the negative outcomes associated with drug use and drug laws. Harm reduction tackles addiction stigma, seeks to help people overcome addiction rather than punishing them, and avoids discriminating against people struggling with addiction.

Is California Sober Controversial?

For many of us in the drug rehab world, California sober can be a difficult and controversial subject. Here’s why.

First, there’s been a long-lasting debate over what recovery means. Does it mean complete and total abstinence from all substances, or does it mean treating the behaviors associated with substance abuse?

Everybody’s journey away from addiction is slightly different. Some people are able to return to a healthy relationship with so-called soft drugs like cannabis and alcohol; some need to abstain from all drug use for the remainder of their lives.

Then there’s the word “sober” itself. In the recovery world, sobriety means you’re not under the influence of any substance, legal or otherwise. California sober flies directly in the face of that understanding.

Plus, there’s the fact that California sober can be a pathway back into drug use. Lovato herself posted a message on her Instagram account in 2018 saying “sober sober is the only way to be.”

Because it still involves some forms of substance use, however mild, it can be easy to see how California sober can be a fast track to relapse.

Does California Sober Actually Work?

Everybody’s journey to (and in) recovery is highly personal, and it’s hard to gauge if a particular approach works for everyone the same way.

But here’s something to remember: addiction is about losing control. It’s part of what addiction researchers call the four C’s: Compulsion, craving, consequences, and control. These are terms that describe how addiction is distinct from other mental and physical conditions:

• Compulsion: This term means a person has an uncontrollable urge to engage in addiction. Addiction usually doesn’t start out as compulsion…but over time, it almost always becomes a compulsive habit. When a person can’t use addictive substances, it can cause intense mental and physical symptoms.

• Craving: Drug cravings are why treating addiction can be difficult. It’s very common to feel overpowering cravings for a substance, especially during early recovery.

• Consequences: One of the major red flags of addiction is continuing to use drugs and alcohol despite any negative outcomes that occur. It’s why people will often continue to use drugs even after their bank accounts are drained, their careers are lost, and their family pushes them away.

• Control: One of the earliest stages of addiction is control. Many people early in addiction will attempt to bargain with it through rules. An example of this is promising yourself that you’ll only drink on weekends, never use drugs alone, or refuse to use a needle to inject drugs. Eventually, addiction always causes a person to lose control, which is why one of the first steps of 12-step groups is admitting helplessness in the face of addiction.

While it’s possible for someone who is struggling with substance abuse to figure out how to moderate their drug use, the fact is addiction almost always causes people to break their self-imposed rules. It’s a testament to how powerful addiction actually is.

The Risks of California Sober

As a lifestyle, there are risks to engaging in California sober, particularly if you’re already struggling with addiction. Here are a few dangers involved with this lifestyle

California Sober Can Turn Into Addiction

The main struggle many people in the recovery world have with California sober is that alcohol and cannabis are both addictive substances. Switching the substances a person uses doesn’t treat addiction, it can simply give them new drugs to be addicted to in place of other substances.

There Aren’t Any Clear Boundaries

California sober rarely has any boundaries or guidelines to it. There’s no agreed-on limits to how much cannabis and alcohol a person can consume while claiming to be California sober, for example.

Negative Health Issues From Cannabis (and Alcohol)

Cannabis and alcohol are often seen as “soft drugs,” but they can be as destructive as harder drugs like cocaine and heroin. Alcohol is very bad for your health, potentially leading to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more.

Meanwhile, there are also serious health risks to cannabis: in addition to the cancer study mentioned above, cannabis can have devastating effects on the brain at early ages, and studies suggest it also has links to mental disorders like schizophrenia.

California Sober Doesn’t Treat the Underlying Issues that Drive Addiction

Addiction is rarely driven by a desire to party. Often, it’s driven by serious mental and emotional causes. Switching to substances seen as less harmful does nothing to address these symptoms.

Here’s an easier way of explaining it: if you’re using drugs as a way to deal with childhood trauma, switching to cannabis and alcohol in moderation will do nothing to help you come to terms with what you’ve survived. It’s why drug detox is only the first step in addiction treatment – getting drugs out of a person’s system only helps deal with the immediate symptoms of addiction.

Is Cannabis Addictive?

Yes. While cannabis does not seem to be as addictive as other drugs, it is entirely possible to get addicted to it. The CDC reports around 10% of people who start using cannabis will become addicted to it, and around a third of current cannabis users qualify as having cannabis use disorder.

It’s also worth pointing out that alcohol is an extremely addictive drug, with serious side effects as well.

What Is Cannabis Use Disorder?

Cannabis use disorder is a recognized form of drug addiction. It has similar symptoms to other forms of addiction, including the four C’s we talked about earlier. The CDC also warns that cannabis products that contain high amounts of THC, like certain edibles and concentrates, may make developing cannabis use disorder more likely.

Is Cannabis Use Disorder Treatable?

Yes. As hopeless as addiction often feels, it’s a treatable condition. We’d never call cannabis use disorder treatment easy, but it can be less difficult to treat than other forms of addiction.

Cannabis is somewhat unique compared to other drugs as the body stores it in fat cells. This means that cannabis can stay in your system for a long time even after you stop using it. Cannabis withdrawal is less harsh than, say, alcohol withdrawal, but going through a drug detox program will keep you as comfortable and as safe as possible as cannabis leaves your system.

Drug detox should be followed up with drug rehab. Drug rehab will help you build a life where you don’t need to rely on weed or alcohol to get through your day. Remember, addiction isn’t about substances, it’s about harmful behaviors.

Struggling With Cannabis and Alcohol? We’ll Help

If California sober is just turning into more days you can’t remember, it’s time to reach out for help. All forms of addiction eventually turn into harmful and destructive behavior patterns that will destroy everything good in your life, leaving you feeling alone.

You’re not. With the right help, you can leave cannabis and alcohol behind. We’ll help you explore the real reasons behind your addiction as you build a life that’s truly worth living.

Don’t wait to hit rock bottom. Reclaim your life and enjoy it today. Just give The Forge Recovery Center a call for more information.

Written by

Brian Moore

Content Writer

Reviewed by

Jeremy Arzt

Chief Clinical Officer

August 13, 2024