In a world where alcohol is celebrated in the golden halls of international expos and light cannabis is still demonized, some have chosen a different path: the path of awareness.
The California Sober movement, born in the United States and now spreading globally, offers a radically different approach: no alcohol, no hard drugs, but an openness to moderate and informed cannabis use.
A paradox? Only for those still trapped in the old prohibitionist slogans.
The choice to say no to alcohol (and yes to cannabis)
Those embracing the California Sober path aren’t nostalgic hippies or anti-alcohol fanatics, but rather young people, artists, athletes, and adults seeking balance.
People who have realized that alcohol — although socially accepted — is a toxic substance, linked to cancer, car accidents, domestic violence, and premature death, especially among the young.
Cannabis, on the other hand, has never caused a documented death. It is increasingly studied for its therapeutic potential and, in many forms such as CBD or light cannabis, does not have debilitating psychoactive effects.
Cannabis and wellness: what research says
Recent studies show that responsible cannabis use may help with:
- insomnia
- anxiety
- chronic stress
- dependence on more harmful substances (including alcohol)
Many former drinkers say they’ve found in cannabis a healthier refuge, one that doesn’t disconnect them from reality but helps them live it with greater clarity.
A movement with many shades
As reported by the Guardian, the concept of California Sober is not monolithic. For some, it simply means avoiding alcohol and hard drugs; for others, it may include responsible use of cannabis and even mild psychedelics in controlled contexts.
What unites those who choose this path is the desire to embrace a more flexible, personal form of sobriety centered on real well-being, free from dogmas and cultural impositions.
It’s not about promoting indiscriminate use of cannabis, but about reassessing the role of legal and illegal substances in our society, putting people at the center — not prejudice.
And in Italy? A toast to misinformation
While in the U.S. there’s talk of “mindful cannabis” as part of a healthy lifestyle, in Italy everything is still thrown into the fear-mongering pot.
One example? Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, who in spring 2024 enthusiastically attended Vinitaly to promote Italian wine as a national excellence. Nothing wrong with that, except that the same government took a hard line against light cannabis, culminating in September 2024 with the approval of an amendment to the Security Decree banning its production and sale — a ban that officially took effect in 2025.
Too bad no one at Vinitaly mentioned that alcohol is classified by the IARC as a Group 1 carcinogen, alongside asbestos and benzene.
Too bad that alcohol-related deaths exceed 30,000 per year in Italy alone.
And too bad that true light cannabis has never killed anyone.
California Sober is a healthy provocation
You don’t have to live in California to embrace this lifestyle. What’s needed is to free ourselves from the toxic narrative that wants us drunk and unaware, yet terrified of a flower.
Canapalandia will continue to talk about cannabis in a critical, informed, and independent way. Not because it’s a panacea, but because it’s time to tell things as they really are — with facts, science, and conscience.
