California sober

adjective

variants or less commonly Cali sober

ˈka-lē- 

informal

: engaging in or characterized by recreational use of marijuana and/or alcohol combined with abstinence from other drugs (such as cocaine or methamphetamine)

California sober is a handy way of describing someone who is trying to avoid hard drugs, but sobriety it ain't.

—Robin Abcarian

often, specifically : using only marijuana while abstaining from alcohol and other drugs

I'm California sober because I still smoke weed, but alcohol is no longer a part of my life.

—Jinkx Monsoon, quoted in Variety

So, I am California sober; we don't drink, but we still dabble in the marijuana.

—Gina Kirschenheiter

[Rolling Loud music festival cofounder Tariq] Cherif, a father of two, has habits best described as "Cali sober"—weed with occasional drinking.

—August Brown

Word History

First Known Use

2015, in the meaning defined above