December is a month devoted to indulgence. As a result, when the new year rolls around, many of us are ready to take a break from some of our vices and try for a fresh start. Though New Year’s resolutions have earned a reputation for being infamously difficult to see through, other, more practical variations on the theme have also emerged. One such option is Dry January, which essentially amounts to a month spent abstaining from alcohol.

Call it Winter Lent or simply a well-earned break for your liver but pressing pause on the booze, beer, or wine is never a bad idea. Of course, just because something is ultimately well-worth it, that doesn’t assure that the challenge itself will be anything approaching pleasurable. Fortunately, for those who chose to kick off their 2022 with a month free from alcohol, cannabis is here to help lighten the load.

Thanks to the impressively diverse array of different products available on the market today, using cannabis to get through a month with no drinking can take any number of different forms. There’s smoking cannabis, sure, but did you also know that there are a growing number of weed-infused beverages you can enjoy in much the same fashion as your favorite cocktail? It’s true.

To learn more, we’ve highlighted a few of the top ways to employ weed in your pursuit of a successful Dry January. Remember, it’ll be February soon!

If you’re looking to replicate the experience of enjoying a drink but without the alcohol part, be sure to check out the beverage section of your local dispensary. From infused sparkling waters to drinks featuring hops terpenes from renowned breweries, there’s seemingly a drink for every palate and preference at this point. Though not widely popular, non-alcoholic, cannabis-infused wines and beers are also available in some markets.

Beyond “ready to sip” drinks, there are also what can best be described as THC-rich mocktail bases. What does that mean? Items like infused honey can be used to create simple syrup for use in non-alcoholic cocktail recipes. That way, you can still have a drink when the occasion calls for it — you’ll just have one with a very different active ingredient! Additionally, those with the experience and resources will find no shortage of recipes online built around this idea, with some choosing to utilize tinctures in lieu of a honey or similar substance.

If you’re commitment to Dry January includes a desire to forgo the habits you associate with alcohol as well, relying on THC mocktails and the like is probably not your best path towards sustained success. Instead, something that creates an entirely new routine — one which shares no overlap with any drinking rituals — can often be a potent distraction. In that case, perhaps now is the time to try consuming cannabis in a new form!

If you’re someone who regularly smokes cannabis, why not try switching to edibles for a month? Though moderation is always encouraged, this is less about avoiding a certain form of consumption and more about creating a fresh ritual that can satisfactorily scratch your drinking itch until February arrives. Thus, one could ostensibly smoke cannabis as desired but switch to edibles in times when they would normally be consuming alcohol, etc.

Every individual is different, of course, but given the sheer variety of what’s now available, it’s certainly an option worth considering in the right circumstances.

Last on this list is an option for those who want to deal with Dry January without involving THC in the process: CBD. 

CBD is quite the popular cannabinoid these days, which makes it perfectly suited to aid in coping with stress and anxiety in the absence of alcohol. Paradoxically, there is evidence to suggest that CBD may work best when consumed as part of a whole plant extract, but even in these cases, the amount of THC present can be wholly negligible when it comes to the matter of whether one will feel any psychoactive effects.

In any event, products of both kinds — those that offer CBD in an isolated form as well as products featuring full-spectrum extracts — now exist. You’ll find the former everywhere from supermarkets to gas stations, but for the latter, you’ll need to shop at a licensed dispensary owing to the presence of THC in these products. We think our CBD rich strain Jelly Fish is perfect for clear headed, CBD smoking – and for those that want a bit more of a balance with THC, our Tangelo Flow strain is also a great option. Whatever you choose, just remember: the first of the month is just around the corner!