Let’s talk about that delicate dance between good cheer and good judgment. The holidays bring out the best in us: warmth, music, lights, friends, and the clink of glasses. They also bring out a classic seasonal combo that has been tempting fate for generations. Entertainment and alcohol mix easily. Add a touch of cannabis to the blend, and suddenly New Year’s Eve earns its nickname of amateur’s night all over again. The risks are real, and the good news is that they’re almost entirely avoidable with a little planning and a bit of Lensworth-style common sense.
Start with the drinks we tend to forget are stronger than they look. Many of today’s superb IPAs push the 9 percent alcohol range. That’s not your grandfather’s beer. That’s closer to two beers dressed up as one. Now, swirl in the synergistic effect of cannabis, and impact goes up fast. One joint plus one strong beer does not equal one joint plus one beer. That math slides sideways. It becomes something much more impairing than either alone. Add the fun of a multi-hour party, and suddenly someone who felt just fine at 6 pm is being asked to walk an imaginary line at 11 pm.
I can’t give legal advice anymore as an inactive, retired lawyer and former judge, but I do have decades of experience dealing with real-world mixing of alcohol, cannabis, and the law. Impairment is not just chemistry. It’s part science, part art, and part human nature. As gracious hosts, we want to keep the art limited to conversation and the science confined to the kitchen. Nobody should leave our homes facing danger, arrest, or regret. “Designated Driver” becomes a magic spell…