What is California Sober?

The term "California sober" prompts airy West Coast stoner vibes, with the state being one of the first to legalise medical cannabis in the '90s. However, can abstaining from all drugs except for cannabis really count as "sober?"

Rehab retreat centres generally warn that the medical use of cannabis is dangerous for people in recovery. If you've ever had an issue with opioids, stimulants or alcohol then you should stay away from all other drugs, including cannabis in all its forms.

Based on several benchmarks of harm, including dependence and the risk of overdose, cannabis is significantly less risky than alcohol. Although the extract of the cannabis plant is not "safe," it is seldom an immediate cause of death. 

One literature review could only link 35 deaths to cannabis, and many of those involved the subject having a complicated medical history. However, a recent English study discovered that toxicity from cannabis was "negligible."

Alcohol, on the other hand, is attributed to 3 million deaths per year worldwide, or 5.3% of all deaths from any cause, under World Health Organization figures. Alcohol use has also been connected to more than 200 illnesses and at least seven types of cancer.

For some, it's tough to live a 'sober' life. If they don't smoke cannabis, they will drink. Unfortunately, it is too easy for many in recovery to lapse, so rather than setting themselves up for failure, they would instead work on their moderation with cannabis."

Going "California sober" can be a practical harm reduction means, says Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician at Harvard Medical School who specialises in medicinal cannabis. He says he's helped many patients transition from opioids, alcohol or both to cannabis.

However, Grinspoon, also a board member of the advocacy group Doctors For Cannabis Regulation, emphasises that whilst cannabis can be addictive, that doesn't mean moderate use can't work as a midway point between rigid sobriety and destructive drug use.

Regardless of its values or traps, cannabis use is not going away. As more states and countries ease up on prohibition, people have more choices for getting high. There is also the term "Colorado sober," which means abstaining from alcohol but indulging in cannabis and psychedelic drugs like psilocybin. 

Getting inebriated is a significant part of being human. Psychedelics and alcohol have held a position in the development of civilisation; However, any drug can have unhealthy effects, and there's nothing immoral about looking for a "buzz."

Regardless of what it is, any drug can be harmful if not used responsibly. The lines between "sober," "California sober", and "Colorado sober" mirror how different people are risk-averse in distinct ways.