Does “California Sober” Actually Work?

The Cali Way: “California sober” is trending. The catchphrase refers to ditching alcohol in favor of cannabis, and it’s just one trend in a recent surge of lifestyle changes related to historic lows of alcohol consumption. As health concerns fueled by alcohol become more prominent, people are turning to marijuana as a so-called healthier replacement. 

The Study: Researchers at Brown University just published the first-ever placebo-controlled study to test whether cannabis use reduces alcohol consumption. Study participants were ages 21 to 44, drank heavily, and used recreational cannabis at least twice per week. For the study, they either smoked marijuana or a placebo. After smoking, over a two-hour period, they were then given access to enough of their preferred beverage to raise their blood alcohol content to 0.10%.

The Takeaway: Going “California sober” does appear to work. At least in the short-term, those who smoked marijuana tended to report a lower urge to drink alcohol and drink less alcohol than those who smoked a placebo.

Keep In Mind: The researchers caution that cannabis shouldn’t be used as a blanket replacement for alcohol. It has its own risks, and very little is known about the long-term effects of regular cannabis use.