Why More British Women Are Choosing Cannabis Over Alcohol
More and more women in Britain are opting to go dry instead of drunk on a Friday night. And they’re doing it because they want to avoid hangovers.
It’s about being productive during the week, avoiding hangovers on the weekends and living a healthier life.
What is driving the trend?
Factor | Alcohol | Cannabis (incl. CBD) |
The Morning After | Hangovers, dehydration, and “hangxiety.” | Mental clarity and zero physical discomfort. |
Caloric Intake | Empty calories and high sugar content. | Zero calories (when using vapes, oils, or tinctures). |
Control | Loss of coordination; risk of “saying too much.” | Ability to precisely manage the effect (microdosing). |
Skin Health | Puffiness, inflammation, and dullness. | No direct negative impact on the skin’s appearance. |
The California Sober Trend in the UK.
The phrase “California Sober” is now popularized in British Cities such as London and Brighton. Essentially, it refers to people who choose not to drink alcohol but do choose to consume marijuana/cannabis.
For professional women aged 30-45, this is a great way to switch off work stress at the end of each day without messing up her sleep schedule or ruining her ability to hit the gym at 7 am the next morning.
As one participant in a recent survey said; “I get tired after an hour of drinking wine. Cannabis just enhances how immersed I get into my reading/yoga.”
Women’s health and the therapeutic aspect.
Whereas alcohol can cause depression, many women view cannabis as a practical tool for dealing with various health issues related to their sex:
- Endometriosis/PMS: There is a growing number of privately prescribed medicinal cannabis for the treatment of pelvic pain.
- Managing Anxiety: Premium quality CBD oils have created an alternative to having a night cap to take the edge off of daily stress.
- Menopause: Many women find cannabis helpful for reducing menopausal hot flashes and night sweats in a less invasive manner than some hormonal treatments.
From stoner to wellness guru.
The old stereotype associated with women who used cannabis was that she was lazy/messy. However, today that image has been totally flipped.
- Aesthetic: Vape pens and oils in simple glass bottles that would fit right in amongst her Chanel lipsticks in her makeup case.
- Social scene: In the bigger urban centers of the UK, there is a growing number of ‘alcohol free’ dinner party invitations being sent out with cannabinoid infused mocktails. Thus creating a space for social interaction while eliminating the possible aggressive behavior/sloppiness found in many pubs.
Expert View: The flip side.
While the trend looks positive, there are also health risks that need to be addressed. Replacing alcohol with cannabis is simply replacing one mind-altering substance for another. Some key concerns include:
- Using any substance as a crutch for stress will require mindfulness of psychological dependency.
- Legally speaking; unless you have a private medical prescription, using cannabis recreationally remains illegal in the UK and therefore may pose a risk to a woman’s career should she not handle it discreetly.
Many British women are participating in what could be described as an emerging “radical self preservation” movement. With society demanding perfection across multiple facets (being a good mother/executive/athlete), the cost/benefit analysis of consuming alcohol (the luxury/time/hormonal disruption/etc.) becomes too large for many women to afford.