How to Get an Alcohol-Free Buzz

Whether you've experienced one too many hangovers in your life or you just want to explore new ways to relax, unwind, and drop into social moments sans booze, there are plenty of reasons to be curious about how to get a buzz without alcohol. And if you’re curious, you’re also not alone – in 2024, daily use of products derived from everyone’s favorite plant surpassed alcohol usage in America for the first time. 

But don’t just take it from those 18 million people having fun without alcohol. Curious about how being drunk vs. high feels, or why one experience might suit you over the other? Let’s take a deep alcohol-free dive. 

Get a Buzz, Without Alcohol

Nowadays, drinking booze is less popular than ever, with the number of adults under 35 who say they drink at all dropping a whole 10 percentage points between 2003 and 2023. And with the popularity of alternative ways to feel loose and social comes a whole lot of options to get a buzz without alcohol, including plenty of off-the-shelf cannabis or hemp-derived THC products. These goodies range from snacky edibles to tinctures to smokables to beverages that’ll make you feel anywhere from giggly to very, very high.

Increasingly, a lot of these options have something in common: they emphasize the social aspects of giving yourself a little treat to feel good, and doing so in a way that is oftentimes more pleasant than drinking alcohol (see ya later, hangovers!). 

Enter, Camino Gummies 

We might be a little biased, but when it comes to the drunk vs. high debate, our Camino gummies are an incredible option for those who prefer the high life. As hemp-derived edibles, Kiva’s Camino gummies deliver a balanced experience by providing a mellow high from hemp-derived THC. Since they are dosed at 5-10MG THC each, the emphasis is on a functional, social type of high, perfect for sliding into that social-lubricant spot that alcohol used to occupy.

While some Camino gummy formulations are designed for relaxing after a long day of work or winding down before bed, a few specifically curate highs that pair well with social experiences, from even-keeled vibes to a more euphoric experience. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to seek gummies with uplifting, sativa-like terpene profiles for a more energetic alcohol-free experience, and indica-like terpenes for a more chill time, but more on that later.

Weed vs. Alcohol: Feeling It Out

OK, so now you know how to get a buzz without alcohol, but how does that buzz feel? If we’re talking drunk vs. high, how do the two experiences compare, physically and mentally speaking? While both alcohol and hemp-derived gummies hit every individual a little differently, the experiences of drinking booze compared to popping a gummy differ in broader strokes, too.

When drinking, you might feel:

• Cognitively impaired

• Drowsy 

• Relaxed

• Nauseous

• Restless, with a shortened attention span

• Giggly 

On the other hand – and taking into account that different terpene blends make for different highs – the effects of a hemp-derived gummy can make you feel:

• An altered perception of time (if using a THC product)

• Relaxed and loose

• Easy to laugh

• Focused 

• Chilled, balanced, or energized, depending on the formula of the gummy

While both can lead to a looser, gigglier feeling that often makes social situations flow more freely, think of an alcohol buzz as a “heavier” body feeling, while a buzz without alcohol typically makes for a “lighter” feeling. This can extend beyond the immediate effects, too; a hemp-derived gummy won’t leave you slouching over the toilet at 3 AM, or with a hangover the next morning. 

And speaking of heaviness, you’ll simply be consuming a lot fewer calories with a gummy than when drinking even the lightest types of alcohol. While one Camino gummy has about 10 calories, even the lightest of light wine spritzers clocks in at about 75 cals; and yes that means alcohol can make you feel “full,” even when you’re not.  

Party Favors

Compared to smokable THC products, gummies skirt some of the dangers that come with smoking, like the lung-damaging intake of toxins and carcinogens. One thing to note, though, is that many cannabis and hemp products, while perfectly legal, are not yet well-regulated, so you’ll want to make sure you’re picking up edibles from reputable (and regulated) sources that offer a clear certificate of analysis – like Kiva offers – to verify their safety and quality.