Some of your patients are 'California sober'—what does it mean, and are they healthier for it?
Key Takeaways
Industry Buzz
“For people who choose to be ‘California sober’ and use cannabis, they have to recognize that they're increasing their possibility of developing anxiety disorders and other mental health disorders.” — Amy Richards, MD
“Like the reduction in smoking rates since 1964, changes in alcohol consumption will likely be progressive over several years as further studies of alcohol consumption and health are reported and digested by the public.” — Charles Porter, MD
Find more of your peers' perspectives and insights below.
After the recent federal report outlining that even moderate drinking—and within the bounds of standard dietary guidelines—carries significant health risks, more of your patients may be thinking about sobriety… or at least some form of it.
Those familiar with the term “California sober” recognize it as a trendy yet somewhat controversial concept, in which individuals abstain from alcohol and other hard drugs in favor of cannabis or similar substances.
Learn more about the increasing popularity of sobriety, and the primary drivers of the trend, here:
Health trend or risky alternative?
The term "California sober" has emerged as a trendy yet somewhat controversial concept. For those unfamiliar, it typically refers to a lifestyle where individuals abstain from traditional substances like alcohol or hard drugs but may still partake in cannabis or other non-intoxicating substances.
@docamen My team taught me the term today called "California Sober" - which is giving up alcohol but still using cannabis. Here are my thoughts. #fyp ♬ original sound - BrainMD
This new take on recovery has sparked debates within both medical and wellness communities: Is it a step toward better health? Or does it come with its own set of health risks? As healthcare professionals, it's crucial to understand how being “California sober” fits into the broader conversation about harm reduction and overall wellness.
“I see on a regular basis the consequences of any kind of substance use, whether it is legal or it is illegal,” Amy Richards, MD, an assistant clinical professor of family medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a board-certified addiction medicine specialist, tells MDLinx. “Cannabis is included in that, so for people who choose to be ‘California sober’ and use cannabis, they have to recognize that they're increasing their possibility of developing anxiety disorders and other mental health disorders.”
“They also can quickly develop dependence if they're using it on a regular basis,” she adds. “And we still do not know all of the potential deleterious effects of vaporized cannabis products, but we know that anything inhaled that is combustible or burns before you consume it is going to cause damage to your respiratory system.”
Surgeon General warns of cancer risk with alcohol
Given the former-US Surgeon General’s advisory that alcohol increases the risk of at least seven types of cancers,[] it’s hard to deny that reducing alcohol intake by any amount is a step in the right direction.
“The report ‘flips the script’ on alcohol consumption from the idea or urban legend that there's a level of alcohol consumption that is good for health to the emerging concept, [that] alcohol consumption of almost any steady degree carries health risks that have to be balanced with the benefits of alcohol determined by each individual,” Charles Porter, MD, a cardio-oncologist at the University of Kansas Health System, tells MDLinx.
“Like the reduction in smoking rates since 1964, changes in alcohol consumption will likely be progressive over several years as further studies of alcohol consumption and health are reported and digested by the public.”
Why patients are embracing this lifestyle
Experts say that while some people may choose to abstain from alcohol and other substances due to the health risks, others may swap one substance for another, like those who choose to be California sober.
Regardless of whether the concept of “California sober” is a healthy choice, experts say physicians should be prepared to have a productive conversation with their patients that seeks to uncover any underlying causes for their substance use.
“As a healthcare professional, you need to be well versed that people are doing this. They might be cutting down on alcohol to substitute for something else. And you need to know what those potential harms might be, and be able to educate your patient about that,” Brian Pei Lim Lee, MD, a hepatologist with Keck Medicine of USC, tells MDLinx.
“A lot of this stems from something underlying. A lot of people have… undiagnosed anxiety or stress, and really treating that underlying cause and what's prompting people to use intoxicants, that's where you can have a real impact on a patient's life as a healthcare professional,” Dr. Lee says.
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