Booze or Bud: The Company You Keep Says Everything

By OG Strain
The Plug’s Pages Magazine

I’ve lived on both sides of the fence.

I’ve been the bar guy.
And now I’m firmly, proudly, unapologetically the cannabis guy.

And after years of hanging with both crowds, I can say this with my full chest:
who you choose to get intoxicated with will tell you everything about the kind of people you’re surrounding yourself with—and, honestly, the kind of person you are.

Let’s start with the bar scene.

Life in the Bar: Loud, Sloppy, and One Bad Song Away from Violence

Bars are loud.
Not fun-loud.
Annoying-loud.

Drunk people don’t talk to you—they talk at you. And half the time, they don’t even finish a sentence before starting another one that somehow makes even less sense than the first.

And let’s talk about how drunk people “show love.”

They touch you.
A lot.

Hands on shoulders.
Hands on arms.
Faces way too close to your face.

Personal space? Never heard of her.

And the wild part? That “love” can flip into anger or violence faster than a light switch. I’ve watched best friends—people who claim they’d die for each other—end the night in full-on fistfights over something neither of them can remember by morning.

That’s not bonding.
That’s Russian roulette with emotions.

And if someone gets sick in a bar? Forget compassion. I’ve seen people puking while everyone else points, laughs, says “eww,” and runs the opposite direction like empathy is contagious.

Real classy.

Enter Cannabis Culture: Same High, Completely Different Vibe

Now let’s talk about cannabis users.

First thing you’ll notice?
Nobody’s yelling.

People are relaxed. Conversations actually make sense. And instead of invading your personal space, most stoners respect it like it’s sacred ground.

When cannabis users show love, it looks different.

They offer you a hit.
They share what they have.
They check in on you.

I saw this firsthand at a Cannabis Cup.

There was a girl who clearly had too much—maybe an edible contest, maybe just underestimated the dose. Instead of laughing at her or abandoning her, a group of people gently walked her over to a couch, sat her down, and made sure she was okay.

Let me say that again:
Strangers stopped what they were doing to take care of someone they didn’t even know.

That would never happen in a bar.

And here’s another moment that stuck with me: I met a woman at the Cup for the first time ever, and she noticed I had ketchup on my chin. Now, as someone who records content and is often on camera, that matters. Instead of laughing quietly like a drunk would, she helped me fix it.

That’s cannabis culture.

“But Stoners Get Moody Sometimes…”

Sure—we do.

But here’s the difference: when cannabis people argue, it’s usually because they’re passionate. About the plant. About their work. About their craft.

Not because they’re blackout drunk and woke up with a bruised eye wondering, “Who did I fight last night?”

Alcohol leaves you sick, dehydrated, anxious, and sometimes still drunk the next morning. And some people’s solution to that?

“Just keep drinking.”

That’s not a lifestyle.
That’s a warning label.

Cannabis, on the other hand, has historically been the substance of hippies, creatives, healers, and peace-loving people. It mellows you out. It opens conversations. It makes people kinder—not meaner.

The Company You Choose Is the Life You Choose

Now let me be clear: I’m not saying every cannabis user is perfect. Every industry has ego, greed, and a few straight-up villains.

But if I’m being honest?
Ninety percent of the people I’ve met through cannabis feel like family.
The kind of people I’d trust.
The kind I’d give the shirt off my back for.

I’m also not attacking casual drinkers. Have a beer. Have a glass of wine. Get drunk once in a while if that’s your thing.

But the hardcore bar crowd?
The every-night drinkers?
The people whose personalities dissolve the moment alcohol hits?

Those are the ones I’m warning you about.

You can drink, or you can smoke—but the crowd you attract will follow that choice. And that reflection? It’s real.

Me?
I’ll choose cannabis.
I’ll choose peace.
I’ll choose people who look out for each other.

Every time.