The California Sober Lifestyle - Pre-Roll Edition

Addiction can be hard. Breaking an addiction can be even harder, especially if you’re trying to go cold turkey. Problem behaviors, too, can be difficult cycles to get out of, as can breaking bad habits or patterns you simply want to escape.

A trend has emerged in the wellness and recovery world known as “California Sober” that is making it easier for people to give up some particularly relentless substances a little bit easier by not treating every possible substance the same.

But what is “Cali Sober” and how can the California Sober lifestyle work for you? And what exactly does all this have to do with pre-rolls anyway?

Now we’re asking the right questions.

So, What is “California Sober”?

“California Sober” is such a great phrase. It sounds like a Beach Boys or Doors song, or at least one by Motley Crue. I’ll be honest, I wish I created it.

However, Cali Sober is not a rock song, but a lifestyle choice. And while there is no one official definition, generally when someone says thy are “Cali Sober” it means they are abstaining from alcohol or hard drugs (such as heroin, cocaine, or meth), but still consuming cannabis.

Basically, Cali Sober is giving up all substances except weed.

The idea is one of harm reduction. It acknowledges that going 100% clean might not be doable, preferable, or even the right choice for many people and instead focuses on better choices or aiding the absolute necessity of getting fully off something more dangerous, like firing up a pre-roll instead of reaching for a bottle.

And putting down the party favors for a cleaner lifestyle isn’t always about risky behavior, sometimes taking the edge off just loses its luster, and leaving the come downs and hangovers in the rear view can feel downright liberating.

Does Going Cali Sober Work? And What Does “Working” Look Like?

Look, we’re not doctors over here, we’re papermongers, so I am not going to say for sure either way. That would be irresponsible.

But there is a ton of anecdotal evidence that says yes, going California Sober and swapping your booze for a pre-roll can be very helpful when trying to kick a dependence to something harder.

It won’t work for everybody, of course, but Cali Sober can be a way to help wean yourself from or cope without another, more addictive substance. Unlike alcohol or harder drugs like heroin, cannabis is not usually physically addictive, though some studies have shown it to be psychologically addictive in heavy users.

Again, it’s about harm reduction more than anything. If smoking a pre-roll helps take the edge off and prevents you from turning back to something harder, especially something that’s got you in its grips, then we call that a win.

However, it does not work for everyone and that’s important to take into consideration as well.

How Does One Benefit from a Cali Sober Lifestyle?

The main benefit of choosing a California Sober lifestyle of reducing or replacing other, harder drugs with a pre-roll or vape is that, well, you’re not doing the more dangerous drug. That’s not only a healthier choice, but can keep you from relapsing.

Choosing a Cali Sober Lifestyle can also be an effective way to distract you from impulses to use again. A pre-roll, in particular, can give you something to do with your hands to keep you from reaching for whatever you are detoxing from.

Depending on the cannabis you choose, the cannabinoids and terpenes can also help calm the nerves or soothe the body, taking the edge off in a way that can allow you to keep going on your recovery journey or pathway toward the life you want to live.

For some people going Cali Sober can be a less scary alternative to cold turkey, a middle ground if you will. It will tax your willpower and it won’t make you any less addicted to the substance you are trying to get away from, but it can seem less intimidating than just going clean.

Again, it is a harm reduction route, not sobriety. For many, this is a middle ground that seems comfortable and can help them truly work toward rehabilitation and recovery.

Surely There are Risks and Drawbacks to Going Cali Sober, Ya?

While choosing a harm reduction path like a California Sober lifestyle can help many people, we want to be clear that it’s not necessarily the “easy way” or one that is suitable for everybody.

For example, choosing to go Cali Sober is still self-medication, and that always comes with risks. “California Sober” is not a medically recognized treatment. Plus, when you factor in any additional issues with smoking cannabis, it may be a healthier alternative to harder substances, but we can’t tell you it’s full-on healthy.

Another risk factor is, of course, relapse. Some experts warn that simply replacing one substance for another – even one that reduces the harm – does not address the underlying issues that cause addiction, and may work as a trigger to push some people back to harder substances.

The California Sober Lifestyle in Hollywood

“Have any celebrities gone California Sober? ‘Survey says’ - yes.” Though there is not an extensive list available, several celebrities have taken up a California Sober lifestyle.

One of the most famous is Willie Nelson, who gave up drinking some time ago but credits cannabis use with saving his life, particularly from drinking and tobacco use. Willie even teamed up with Billy Strings in 2023 for a song called “California Sober” that includes the lyric “And I don’t get to acting mean when I keep my buzzes clean/and keep the hard stuff and the whiskey from my head.”

In fact, in 2018, Willie told me while we were chilling on his tour bus: "I’m the guy who’s been experimenting all these years and I know what’s good for me and what’s bad for me. After 85 years, you begin to realize cigarettes are bad for me, alcohol is bad for me, cocaine is bad for me; there’s a lot of things I can’t do, I don’t want to do,” he says. “But I found that I can smoke a little pot and it relieves tensions and keeps me from killing people." Preach Willie.

Another celebrity that has spoken of the California Sober lifestyle is Billy Idol. Idol told People Magazine in 2024 that he was “California Sober” as a way to help keep him off the harder drugs that once controlled him, though he also said he was lucky and that the Cali Sober lifestyle is not for everyone.

Rapper Wiz Khalifa has said that he is “Cali Sober,” which for him means no more “Bombay Sippin”, but cannabis and mushrooms are allowed. He cites the choice for helping him feel and perform better, particularly while on tour.

Finally, Demi Lovato made headlines in 2018 when they talked about how a California Sober lifestyle helped them break away from harder substances. However, Lovato in 2021 announced that they were no longer “California Sober,” instead going “sober sober.” It’s an important note that while giving up harder substances in favor or pre-rolls can be very effective, it may not work for everyone.

Final Thoughts on the California Sober Lifestyle

While not right for everyone, smoking a pre-roll instead of going for something harder can make the Cali Sober lifestyle the right choice to help you on your recovery journey.

It’s not a cure-all and may not be the first or final step on your path, but used appropriately, smoking cannabis is a harm-reducing choice that can help folks struggling with drug and/or alcohol dependence get to a point where substances no longer control their lives, while still providing them with an outlet and aid to turn to in difficult situations.

Look, these are deeply personal issues, and one size most certainly does not fit all. Addiction has no one story and no one answer. But for many, California Sobriety provides the offramp we need to help get back on track.

If it’s right for you, then do it.

And, of course, if you or someone you know needs help with addiction, contact the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Hotline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357).