If you, like many others, have made a dry January one of your New Year’s resolutions, congratulations. It’s a big step that will take plenty of resolve. However, there are some ways to make accomplishing your goal easier. For example, have you considered alternatives to alcohol, like a cannabis drink? It offers an all-natural way to get through the month with few side effects or downsides. Here’s everything you need to know about your dry January cannabis options.
The Benefits of Cannabis as an Alcohol Alternative
At this point, you may be wondering why you’d turn to a cannabis drink as an alcohol alternative. After all, both have mind-altering effects, so wouldn’t you be substituting one problematic substance for another? Actually, the two couldn’t be more different. For starters, alcohol can have some serious long-term effects on your body. You likely already know how alcohol can harm your liver. But did you know that it can also weaken your immune system, lead to weight gain, and increase your risk of heart disease?
A cannabis infused drink, by contrast, carries no such long-term risks. It will deliver a similar buzz to an alcoholic beverage, but without the adverse health effects. It will also show its effects within a similar timeframe, typically between 15 and 30 minutes after ingestion. You may be interested to know that cannabis and hops, a primary ingredient in most beers, are members of the same plant family. That means they share some critical chemical similarities that affect their aromas and flavor profiles. So, you might find a cannabis drink that suits your palate far easier than you think.
Why Substitute Cannabis for Alcohol at All?
It’s worth pointing out that one of the most important reasons to use cannabis as an alcohol alternative is that it will decrease your desire for the latter. According to researchers at Brown University, cannabis consumption suppresses your cravings for alcohol both in the short and long term. In a recent study, researchers found that cannabis consumption reduced the urge for alcohol in the moment. They also found that it reduced the amount of alcohol participants ingested in the following two hours and delayed the start of drinking, even with alcohol available.
Cannabis Wellness Benefits
There are also some potential wellness benefits associated with choosing a cannabis drink as an alcohol alternative. Cannabis has a long-documented history of helping stabilize mood and enhance mental well-being. Alcohol has a history of doing the exact opposite. You should also know that cannabis infused drinks may help reduce anxiety when used responsibly.
Importantly, cannabis can potentially help you get deeper and more restful sleep. Multiple studies show that cannabis increases the average user’s slow-wave sleep duration. Alcohol, meanwhile, makes you feel sleepy, but prevents you from falling into a deep sleep. In other words, you’ll sleep, but without the restorative effects you’re expecting.
Substituting Cannabis for Alcohol Responsibly
Finally, as you weigh your choice of THC drinks vs alcohol, you should never forget that moderation is key. Too many cannabis infused drinks can be harmful, like too many alcoholic beverages often are. If you’re unaccustomed to the effects of a cannabis drink, you should take your time while consuming it. It’s easy to consume too much THC if you don’t wait for it to show its effects.
You should also consider trying different types of cannabis infused drinks. The way you metabolize each will change how you experience its effects. You may find, for example, that a particular drink with THC in it gives you a long, mellow high, while another has a more pronounced and short-lived effect. If you consume your drinks with care, however, you should have no problem finding the perfect dry January cannabis alternative.