Say Yes to Cannabis During Dry January

If you had to choose between being able to only consume cannabis or alcohol for the rest of your life, which would you choose? Personally, I would hate to make that choice, but it would be a simple answer: cannabis. I used to get into debates with people who were naysayers of cannabis regarding why I chose to smoke over wanting to drink alcohol. My argument every single time was that you never hear of a partner cheating on their significant other because they smoked marijuana and got too high. You also never hear of people who smoked a bunch of cannabis and got kicked out of a public place for getting into a fist fight. Cannabis was the mellow, more intelligent choice. And let’s face it, you almost never hear of someone waking up hungover the next day from ingesting cannabis. Hands down, cannabis wins every time; and I’m not alone in this choice. 

“New research from New Frontier Data, the #1 cannabis data and analytics firm, has revealed that almost half of cannabis consumers in the United States prefer it to alcohol”. (Smith, 2021). With the dangers of alcohol use and abuse more likely to kill or damage a person’s health, it is no wonder that younger generations such as Gen Z and Millennials are such proponents for the cannabis industry. Those two generations have been notorious for being more health conscious than older generations. They are also the two generations leading the charge for a return of Dry January in 2022. “Millennials and Gen Zers have been consuming less than older generations in recent years. Research also suggests that more Millennials participate in Dry January in larger numbers than their older counterparts, alcohol purchases decreasing at the beginning of the year and increasing by February.”(Lalljee and Sheffey, 2021).

Cannabis Vs. Alcohol

After the horrendous year 2020 was, it was no surprise that Dry January was mostly non-existent from social media and the news. Many decided to trudge through the beginning of 2021 with alcohol more than in previous years. 

“A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association in March found one in four adults reported drinking more this past year to manage their stress. The Harris Poll, an analytics firm, found that about 17% of respondents reported "heavy drinking" between mid-August and mid-September, defined as four or more alcoholic beverages for women and five or more for men. In addition, a study by the Rand Corporation last year found that alcohol consumption in the U.S. increased by 14% during the pandemic. Women increased their heavy drinking days by 41%, according to the study.” (Lalljee and Sheffey, 2021).

While swapping one vice for the other, in this instance cannabis for alcohol, is not necessarily a great recommendation if you suffer from addiction or alcohol abuse, there are minor adjustments you can make to help ease you into a more mindful month. “By encouraging people to identify the impact alcohol has on their thoughts, feelings and behaviors, mindful drinking can be an effective tool for people interested in reducing their alcohol consumption, but not for anyone with a severe drinking problem or alcohol-use disorder.” (Blum, 2021).

The same can be said of cannabis use. Bringing mindfulness to any habit is definitely a great practice to bring into the new year. But if you are trying to think through the argument of alcohol versus cannabis for a Dry January, cannabis is the safer choice. “When it comes to addiction profiles, risk of death or overdose, and links to cancer, car crashes, violence, and obesity, the research suggests that marijuana may be less of a health risk than alcohol.” (Brodwin, 2018). That isn’t to say that one would require cannabis in order to get through a Dry January, but in my opinion, I think it couldn’t hurt if you’re seeking something to help ease your mind or unwind after a long day or week. And if you’re really interested in staying sober during Dry January, try meditation. But that’s a different topic for another blog some other day. In the meantime, I’ll be saying yes to Dry January with cannabis.

Resources:

Blum, Dana. ‘Sober Curious’? How to Embrace Mindful Drinking. The New York Times. 2021, December 23. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/23/well/dry-january-mindful-drinking.html.

Brodwin, Erin. We took a scientific look at whether weed or alcohol is worse for you — and there appears to be a winner. Insider. 2018, August 28. https://www.businessinsider.com/alcohol-marijuana-which-worse-health-2017-11.

Lalljee, Jason and Ayelet Sheffey. 'Sober curious' Millennials and Gen Z are driving a 'Dry January' comeback after a stressful 2021. Insider. 2021, December 28. https://www.businessinsider.com/dry-january-sober-curious-taking-break-from-drinking-stress-2021-12.

Smith, Dana. Almost 50% of Cannabis Consumers Prefer Weed Over Alcohol and the Number is Climbing Says New Study. Cannabis.net. 2021, December 22. https://cannabis.net/blog/news/almost-50-of-cannabis-consumers-prefer-weed-over-alcohol-and-the-number-is-climbing-says-new-st.