What Is Cali Sober? A Drug Diet with Mindful Intent
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Time to read 4 min
When you ditch the shots for shrooms and hangovers for hikes, something curious happens—you start to feel better. What is Cali Sober? It’s a reimagined form of sobriety that skips alcohol and hard drugs in favor of cannabis and psychedelics. Coined by journalist Michelle Lhooq, the term has gone viral, inspiring a new generation of substance-aware seekers to rethink how they define “sober.”
What began as a personal experiment quickly evolved into a cultural phenomenon. And while it started in California, its reach now extends far beyond the West Coast. For those who want clarity without deprivation, this new-age drug diet offers a thoughtful, customizable approach to sobriety.
Table of contents
❓ FAQ: What Is Cali Sober? 🔵 From NYC Nightlife to Cali Sober Clarity 🔵 The Viral Rise of a Lifestyle Term 🔵 Why Psychedelics Matter in Cali Sober Culture 🔵 Dosing Do’s and Don’ts 🔵 Creating Safer Spaces for First-Timers 🔵 Why Women Are Leading the Cali Sober Shift 🔵 Final Thoughts: Redefining What It Means to Be Sober
❓ FAQ: What Is Cali Sober?
Q: What does Cali Sober mean?
Cali Sober refers to abstaining from alcohol and hard drugs while still consuming cannabis and psychedelics. It’s about mindful, intentional use—not full abstinence.
Q: Can psychedelics really be part of a sober lifestyle?
Yes. For many, psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD offer emotional clarity, creativity, and healing. This lifestyle is about alignment—not restriction.
Q: What’s the typical Cali Sober dose of psychedelics?
Most people start with a microdose (0.1–0.5g of psilocybin). Social doses may be closer to 1g. Anything above 2g is usually reserved for deeper solo journeys.
🔵 From NYC Nightlife to Cali Sober Clarity
Michelle Lhooq’s journey to Cali Sober began in New York City, where she was a nightlife journalist living on a steady cocktail of uppers, downers, and alcohol. Her work demanded extreme productivity—and her lifestyle mirrored it. “I was a speed freak,” she recalls. “Working 12-hour days, partying until 4 a.m.”
But California changed everything. When she moved west in 2018, just as legal cannabis was taking off, she traded clubs for deserts and cocktails for cannabis. “My rhythms were out of sync,” she said. “I didn’t want to be wired—I wanted to be present.”
So she made a radical choice: cut out everything but weed and psychedelics for a year. She called it her “experimental drug diet.”
When people at parties were confused by her refusal to drink—but willingness to light up—Michelle casually explained, “I’m Cali Sober.”
🔵 The Viral Rise of a Lifestyle Term
Michelle’s offhand remark became more than a punchline. When she wrote about her lifestyle shift in an essay for Vice, the piece went viral. “It hit the zeitgeist in a way none of my writing had before,” she said. Within weeks, “Cali Sober” was everywhere—from New York Magazine to Goop.
What Michelle had done was name something people were already living. In a culture swinging between extreme party habits and rigid recovery models, her idea struck a balance. One that felt real. One that felt doable.
And for many women—especially women of color—Michelle’s voice gave permission to be visible in a space that’s often hidden in stigma. “As an Asian woman, I didn’t see people like me talking about drugs,” she said. “But we do party. We do heal. And we should talk about it.”
🔵 Why Psychedelics Matter in Cali Sober Culture
Let’s be clear: What is Cali Sober isn’t just weed-only. Psychedelics are a critical part of the lifestyle. But their inclusion often gets overlooked. Michelle warns against reducing Cali Sober to “stoner sobriety.”
“I think it’s important to include psychedelics,” she explains. “They offer transformation, not just escape.”
That’s why set, setting, and dosing are so crucial. Whether you’re microdosing psilocybin or exploring LSD, how you engage with the substance matters as much as the substance itself.
Microdose: 0.1–0.5g (subtle mood and focus shift)
Standard dose: 1–2g (mild to moderate trip, best for solo or reflective use)
Heroic dose: 3.5g+ (deep psychedelic experience, not social)
For social use? Stick with 0.2–1g. “You can always take more,” Michelle reminds us. “But you can’t untake a big dose.”
🔵 Dosing Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t underestimate the impact of your stomach, your mood, and your environment. As shared on The High Guide, a greasy meal can dull a chocolate dose, while tinctures taken sublingually act faster and more predictably.
Edibles and capsules will take longer to kick in—especially if consumed on a full stomach. That delay can lead to overcompensation. So always start small and be patient.
And yes, your emotions play a role, too. One guest described taking a microdose the day of Kobe Bryant’s funeral—and sobbing through Beyoncé’s performance despite not being a basketball fan. “It was over-empathy,” he said. “It wrecked my whole day.”
Lesson? Timing and intention matter.
🔵 Creating Safer Spaces for First-Timers
Another key takeaway from the Cali Sober lifestyle is the value of community care. “Do it with someone,” Michelle says. “Ideally someone more experienced.”
Safe tripping spaces—whether social events, retreats, or just a well-set living room—can provide the emotional container many first-timers need.
Michelle’s goal? To create environments where people can experiment responsibly, guided by someone who’s been there. It’s not about being a guru—it’s about not going it alone.
🔵 Why Women Are Leading the Cali Sober Shift
Women—especially those burned out by alcohol’s false promises—are driving interest in this movement.
For many, What is Cali Sober becomes a question of identity, power, and agency. “I got tired of hangovers,” one guest said. “I wanted to feel without numbing.”
This isn’t just a sobriety trend—it’s a reclamation of self, driven by plant medicine, curiosity, and the refusal to settle for binary choices.
🔵 Final Thoughts: Redefining What It Means to Be Sober
What is Cali Sober? It’s sobriety redefined—a flexible, plant-forward lifestyle that helps people engage more intentionally with themselves, their substances, and their surroundings.
Whether you’re drawn to it for the creative clarity of a microdose, the calm of a weed high, or the simple joy of a hangover-free morning, Cali Sober gives you permission to rewrite your rules.
And most importantly? You don’t have to do it alone.
April Pride
April Pride is a the founder of SetSet and hosts it's podcast. She is a Seattle-based creative entrepreneur and harm reduction advocate with over two decades of experience building brands at the intersection of lifestyle, cannabis, psychedelics, and women's well-being.
