Many Canadians start the new year with attempts to abstain from alcohol and cannabis for the month of January. However, this all-or-nothing approach to a healthier lifestyle may be unsustainable for many due to complex biological and psychosocial drivers that trigger substance use in the first place. Fear not, abstinence isn’t the only option.

Moderation-management techniques such as alternating alcoholic drinks with mocktails and harm-reduction strategies, such as opting for light beers, light seltzers and cannabis strains with a higher CBD-to-THC ratio, are evidence-based options.

Please note, this article is intended for individuals who use substances regularly or heavily on special occasions and not for individuals who meet the criteria for a substance use disorder.

As a health and rehabilitation scientist and assistant professor, I have spent 15 years researching the complexities of substance use and recovery. But my insights aren’t just academic. I have lived this reality for over two decades.

My career and auto-ethnographic research, including Cocaine Confessions, have taught me that transforming one’s relationship with substances is not a matter of character, morality or willpower. It requires a precise, deep understanding........

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