Someone once described boozing to me as borrowing happiness from the next day. It’s a sentiment that has stuck with me throughout the years. How many of us have woken up with a throbbing hangover after staying out all night painting the town red? Few things are worse than the gut-wrenching nausea and pulsating head pain that follows a night of hard-drinking. Now your whole day is ruined, you smell like a distillery, and you somehow have to find the motivation to get to work. What’s the first thing we all say after dragging ourselves out of bed and into the bathroom? I’m never drinking again! And yet, we promptly find ourselves back at the bars. 

It’s not just the physical symptoms of a hangover, either. When many of us drink to excess, we do and say things that we regret in the morning. That feeling of shame compounds with your seasick stomach to leave you feeling truly terrible. Worse yet, regret and self-loathing drive us to go out and repeat the process all over again. It’s a vicious cycle. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way! People all over have been putting down the bottle and picking up the pipe. Cannabis products are more accessible than they ever have been before, and companies like AbsoluteXtracts are creating herb-based alcohol alternatives that make the transition to Cali-sobriety feel seamless.

The definition of Cali-sober varies slightly depending on who you ask, but essentially it refers to a relatively new wellness trend that involves abstaining from alcohol and drugs, with the exception of marijuana and possibly other psychedelics. It’s an excellent choice for those who no longer feel compelled to drink, but who aren’t necessarily looking for traditional teetotaling sobriety. 

Being Cali-sober offers a way to let loose, as well as state the desire for social or ritual consumption without all the adverse effects that come with drinking and narcotics. It’s basically for those who still want to drink socially without the adverse effects of alcohol.

It’s a well-known fact that as we age, our hangovers worsen. As millennials transition from young-adulthood, many find that the drinking habits of their twenties are unsustainable in their thirties. Sara (a pseudonym) tells The Cut “At my age, I’ve noticed a lot of people are at their ‘I’m going to stop drinking’ point, and weed has become a way for them to wean themselves off of other substances.”

In America and most places, alcohol is king. We all know it’s a drug, but for some reason, it’s the most socially acceptable drug to partake in. In fact, choosing not to drink alcohol can actually make us feel alienated from our peers. Going to an office happy hour and ordering a soda or tea can inspire side-eyed glances from our colleagues. Meanwhile, cannabis is still considered taboo in many professional settings. However, that paradigm is beginning to shift as legal cannabis markets spring up all around North America.

Now, with the help of companies like AbsoluteXtracts (ABX), trading in booze for weed doesn’t have to be such an isolating experience. Here are three great products that make going Cali-sober easy.

Craft beer, like man-buns and the gig economy, has been ubiquitously associated with my generation. For many of us millennials, having to give up the hoppy flavor of a freshly poured IPA makes abstaining from alcohol seem impossible. Fortunately, you don’t have to give up cracking a cold one with the boys to go Cali-sober.

ABX has teamed up beer brewing legends Lagunitas to create Hi-Fi Hops. This hop-inspired sparkling beverage has all the hoppy flavor you’ve come to expect from Lagunitas, but with none of the alcohol and none of the calories or carbs. What it does have, however, is an infusion of cannabinoids extracted from premium sun-grown cannabis, making Hi-Fi Hops the perfect Cali-sober beverage for game day, happy hour, or whenever you crave the refreshing taste of hops.

Hi-Fi Hops is currently available in three different delicious strengths. There’s the Tuner, a balanced 1:1 CBD THC with 5mg of each – great for enjoying with the buds. Then there’s Reverb. Reverb’s 10mg of THC is perfect for those looking for a strong buzz. Finally, there’s Unplugged, which I like to think of as the cannabis version of a session beer. Unplugged contains 18mg of CBD, but less than 2mg of THC, making it an excellent option for when you’re hankering for the taste of Tuner or Reverb, but don’t want to feel too intoxicated from THC.

Thanks to ABX and Lagunitas, being Cali-sober doesn’t have to mean surrendering the hoppy flavors you love so much!

Vape pens make accessing cannabis extracts easy wherever you are. For Cali-sober folks, carrying a vape pen can be a fun way to socialize while out and about. Instead of ordering a round of shots, step outside with your buddies and take a few hits of your vape. It’s a great way to catch a buzz without having the threat of hangover looming over your shoulder. 

Pre-filled cartridges are by far the simplest and most convenient way to vape on the go. Don’t worry about transferring messy extracts from jar to vape; simply screw in the cart, and you’re good to go. This simplicity and ease of access make for a much more discreet experience, so your cannabis can be enjoyed in more places. 

AbsoluteXtracts offers strain-specific, full-spectrum pre-filled cartridges derived from your favorite strains, like Jack Herer, Sour Diesel, and Blue Dream.  

Another great way to substitute alcohol for cannabis is to use edibles. When cannabinoids are consumed orally, they undergo a process that causes the effects to last longer. Try eating a brownie, taking one of ABX soft gels, or chowing down on these ABX Vegan gummies before going out and about. They’re available in four exciting flavors, including Chili Lime Piña. ABX gummies are vegan and gluten-free, so feel free to share them with friends regardless of their dietary restrictions.