Recommendations like this should always include suggestions on what to replace it with. Cannabis works for the relaxation part very well, but not exactly for the sociability aspect.
Sorry for the snark but I'm nursing a hangover created in the company of a important friend who's promising to quit drinking after moving state next month, so this is a rather timely paper. However if my friend were to merely substitute another intoxicant I'd lose my mind and probably my wonderful friend. So I personally wouldn't suggest alternative habits at least.
Edit: punctuation
Where Oxycontin, heroin, and alcohol are all easy to overdose on, have highly physically addictive properties. Thc does not have the characteristics. Oxy is sold that it reduces physical addiction, when used for short periods and per instructions, but it does not eliminate physical addiction.
Subjectively it feels very much like alcohol. It is probably about as addictive. But it's almost non-toxic by comparison. No liver damage. Doesn't affect nutrient absorption. Milder hangover.
It'll probably never be legal for regulatory reasons. (If alcohol were introduced today, it would likely be banned. Even a relatively safer alcohol substitute runs into the problem of still being rather dangerous and so getting through the red tape.)
[1] https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/135106/synthetic-alcohol-sub...
It is safer than alcohol in terms of properly dosed effects, but it has many safety drawbacks in terms of using safely in public social settings the way alcohol is used.
It's not just regulatory difficulties with it as an alcohol substitute.
For simple 'relaxation' I am significantly more relaxed sober than I ever was when drinking. The day after a binge spiked my anxiety sky high, and even when drinking I was always preoccupied with the next drink.
I used to use cannabis but I still do (ahem), but it makes me stupid and so I try to save it as a special treat.