The Great California Sober Debate

The Great California Sober Debate was sparked when Demi Lovato remarked in an interview after the release of her documentary series, “Dancing with the Devil”, that she is “California sober”. California Sober is a controversial and somewhat fluid colloquialism to describe people who abstain from most substances. It is an approach to recovery that includes drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis in moderation.

"I know I'm done with the stuff that's going to kill me," she said, but swearing off alcohol and marijuana entirely is just "setting myself up for failure."

The dominant narrative around addiction is that using substances in moderation is incompatible with long-term recovery. But some experts argue the field's understanding of addiction is evolving to make room for less rigid, didactic approaches.

"Recovery is a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives and strive to reach their full potential," according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

However, after the backlash of Lovato issuing her statement, she has said that she’s “never going to discuss the parameters” of her recovery again. She explained in a recent interview that the choices she makes are between her and her treatment team. She also discussed fears of people misinterpreting her statement, saying, "I don't want people to hear that [I am California Sober] and think that they can go out and try having a drink or smoking a joint, you know?" she said. "Because it isn't for everybody. Recovery isn't a one-size-fits-all solution."

Because of this, Soberocity, an online sober community with an office in the Lower East Side, has decided to host a virtual debate on this hot topic. The purpose of this event is not to discredit anyone’s approach to recovery.

Soberocity believes that sobriety is a personal journey and that there is no right or wrong way to achieve it. We will use this public forum to discuss this hot topic that has captured the attention of the entire sober community. Anyone attending the event on Zoom is welcome to join in on the conversation and to ask the panelists questions directly.

The debaters for this event are Jenna Nola, Jake Yoder, and Kaitie Degen, who are all recovery coaches. They will discuss the topic of California Sober and their thoughts on if it is an effective tool for recovery. The debate will be moderated by Soberocity's Editor in Chief, Alexandra Nyman and will be held on Thursday, April 29th at 7pm EST. Tickets are free and are available at soberocity.ticketbud.com/the-great-california-sober-debate.

The Debaters
Kaitie Degen: Kaitie Degen is a woman with many niches. Most of her studies have been in eastern medicine practices. Including acupuncture, cupping and energy healing. What she is most known for right now is her devotion to recovery through the use of plant medicines like cannabis and psychedelics. Her not so traditional approach is helping thousands of people across the world!

My features: Global news, City News, Harm reduction Panel for Basscoast, written for Grant Macewan University, Reeves College, Edmonton Fetal alcohol network, Form and Function, Dose,
Ryan Jespersen show, A sober girls guide, sober is dope podcast to name a few!

Jake Yoder: Jake is a Personal Coach who specializes in helping others transform their unwanted patterns into healthy habits that naturally result in thriving. He has learned from over a decade of rock climbing, hiking, and classical guitar that "achieved" highs gained from adventure and self expression are far more rewarding than "induced" highs from substances. Jake’s experience in long term recovery and desire to share hard won wisdom led him to become the Founder and CEO of “Natural Highs Recovery”. Learn more at www.naturalhighsrecovery.org and follow on Instagram @naturalhighsrecovery.

Jenna Nola: Jenna is a survivor of New Orleans’ Catholic school & a post 9/11 existence inside the Capital Beltway. She is optimistic, opinionated, and often late to arrive. The only thing she can commit to is sobriety, all things old school, fiscally conservative/, socially liberal thoughts, gangsta rap, opera, cheese and coffee (thus no tattoos). The pandemic has turned the globe trotter into an introspective critic. Jenna wonders when she’ll find a physical place where settling down doesn’t feel like settling ...

About Soberocity
Founded in 2017, Soberocity’s mission has always been clear: we want to connect people living a sober life with like-minded individuals through online meet-ups, live streams, and more. We want to change the perception of what it means to live a sober life and make it achievable and attainable for everyone suffering, or who has suffered, from addiction. Soberocity also believes in helping our community to stay sober and to pursue a sober life by offering sober resources and a unique opportunity to connect with other sober individuals. For us, sobriety is a spectrum and we fully embrace all looking to join our community, for together we are infinitely strong.

Soberocity is for anyone with an interest in retaining or gaining sobriety worldwide, including:

• People who are sober curious
• Anyone who is new to recovery
• Anyone who has been in recovery for a long time
• Sober companions, sponsors, and counselors looking to learn more about the sober community
• Anyone looking to be surrounded by the sober community and be uplifted by it

For more information on Soberocity visit soberocity.com.