High, Semi-dry, January

I never managed to make sweet, willowy, athletic Denise my girlfriend.  We went our separate ways after graduation, she snaring Kevin – a U-M educated lawyer and all-around good guy – while I lucked into Kathy.  My reacquaintance with old ‘burg friends included Kevin and Denise, now a dear friend once again.  It was from Denise that I first learned of the practice that is the topic of this blog.  Several years ago, she wrote that she was giving up drinking for January.  She’s not a lush, but likes her white wine, and cold.  She’ll throw some ice cubes in her glass if it isn’t cold enough.  As she told it, the motivation wasn’t concern for impending alcoholism, but rather the extra poundage those empty booze calories were putting on.  For her, those pounds were going to places where tall women can mask them while nevertheless knowing full well what’s happening.  I tried to dissuade her, pointing out the advantages of moderation over full abstinence.  She did it her way, and although I never got a detailed progress report, I think she was satisfied with the results.  Maybe Denise was ahead of her time, but I’ve begun hearing this practice is a thing: a New Years Resolution for a “Dry January” (1).  Starting with an official announcement in the U.K. 2014, it’s spread worldwide (2).

I understand the motivation.  Booze can put on the pounds.  And we regular drinkers get advice from everywhere, and it’s rarely about some nice new IPA out there.  Mainly that it would be in our best interest to cut back, heard especially from our doctors!

I’ve played this game before, if not as a voluntary participant.  As part of a “corrective action” to some behaviors of which the U took a dim view, I was put into a program that required total abstinence, enforced by regular monitoring.  I was in 7 months before being released by my case worker, who determined that drinking was not a factor in my questionable actions.  While I found some ways around the monitoring and managed a beer now and then, it was a true dry stretch, probably the longest I’ve been without a drink since I started the practice in the shadow of the White House at age 16.  And, to quote Ren & Stimpy’s Mr. Horse: “No sir, I didn’t like it” (3).  I vowed it would be a cold day in Hell before anyone did that to me again.

But I think I’ve come up with a system that might fulfill the spirit of “Dry January” without depriving our shiny human brains of the intoxicants they so crave.  Now, I write this as a privileged native of the great state of Michigan, whose legislature in 2018 passed Proposition 1, approving state-licensed recreational sales beginning in late 2019, building on earlier legalization for medical cannabis in 2008.  If you’re of my generation and went to college, you’ve had ample education in how to handle this agent.  I got introduced after an injury qualified me for a Medical Marihuana Card.  Helped reintroduce me to those effects that so motivated my student ingestions.

Of course, the product line has expanded well beyond that once bag of leaf, seeds, and stems you bought from some shady character.  I particularly like the edibles, conveniently packaged and labelled.  My old asthmatic lungs just aren’t up to smoking anymore, even though the effect is faster.  You know what strain is behind the product, and the THC dose in milligrams.  Indica is fine at inducing sleep while sativa is better if a party-time effect is being sought.

Should you wish to follow this practice and don’t live in the state of Michigan, hope you live in one of the many other states that have legalized (4).

The system is pretty simple.  Once you feel the urge for a drink, reach for a gummie instead!  Some dose adjustment will be necessary.  I’ve found that 2 gummies containing 20 mg THC each do me fine, either for sleep or pleasure.  My local pot shop – Cloud Cannabis – will sell me a pack of 10 for $5.00.  That’s a buck a buzz!  Compare that with what you’d pay for 4 beers at $12/6 pack: 8 bucks!  Not to mention the 800-1000 calories involved.  Sure, we all know what cannabis can do to the appetite, but there are ways to counter that urge (5).  Scientists have recently nailed down why this happens, with action in the mediobasal hypothalamus (6).  Perhaps a more precise solution will be forthcoming.  Some, like yours truly, do not feel this effect.  Not so Kathy, who gets so ravenous after even a little bit, she’s stays far away from the herb in all forms.

So, have you figured out the program yet?  Very simple.  Alcoholic beverages still permitted but substitute any urge for a drink with a nibble on a gummie.  The buzz that washes over will diminish or eliminate any urge you might have for alcohol.  This isn’t disulfiram (Antabuse) where ingestion makes alcohol into something that makes you sick.  Its sensation just substitutes for an urge for alcohol, so you’ll consume less.  And isn’t that the point of “Dry January”?  It’s a crime to enter into a brand-new year facing a month of suffering and deprivation.  So, try my system!

DISCLAIMER: readers should note that compounds and dosing are per the author’s particular situation. These are not intended as any sort of medical advice. Your results may vary.

References

1. Diaz J.  Dry January started with 1 person years ago – now it’s a phenom.  NPR 1/1/26.  https://www.npr.org/2026/01/01/nx-s1-5662527/the-origins-of-dry-january

2. The Dry January Story.  The Alcohol Change UK.  https://alcoholchange.org.uk/help-and-support/managing-your-drinking/dry-january/about-dry-january/the-dry-january-story

3. StupidDupid.  Every time Mr Horse says No Sir I Don’t Like It – The Ren & Stimpy Show.  YouTube.  https://youtu.be/PvDP6rozVtk?si=51MwyT_AbBomUV2C

4. DISA.  Marijuana Legality Map.  12/1/25.  https://disa.com/marijuana-legality-by-state/

5. Benali S.  How to Stop the Munchies: A Dietitian’s Guide.  In Good Nutrition 3/20/25.  https://www.ingoodnutrition.com/post/how-to-stop-the-munchies

6. Neporent L.  Scientists Solve Marijuana Munchies Mystery.  Psychiatrist.com 1/17/24.  https://www.psychiatrist.com/news/scientists-solve-marijuana-munchies-mystery/