Americans' Drinking Hits Record Low as Health Concerns Grow
Americans' Drinking Remains at Record Low: Gallup Poll
Gallup's latest poll shows only 54% of U.S. adults drink alcohol, the lowest since 1939 and unchanged from last year's record low. Self-reported drinking dropped from 62% in 2023 to 54% in 2025. Meanwhile, 51% now believe one or two drinks a day is bad for health, and 13% say they sometimes overdrink, also a record low. Seventeen percent have turned to nonalcoholic alternatives.
Before 2000, more than 20% of Americans routinely reported overdrinking, including a record-high 35% in 1989.
- bentt
There are so many other ways to self medicate now! Why be a lonely drunk when you can be a social media trolling energy drink swilling porn addicted sports gambler
- ortusdux
I wonder how legal marijuana ties in? I know plenty of people that have switched.
- GenerWork
I'd love to see the drinking stats for male millennials over the past 15 to 20 years. I bet there's a big drop as they age out of prime beer drinking age and start moving into middle age. I say this as I'm part of that demographic, and I hardly drink anymore after having one or 2 craft beers a night in my 20s.
Edit: The downturn in drinking has huge ramifications for restaurants as they make a lot of profit on alcohol.
- xnx
Kind of a junk article if it doesn't mention the effect of Ozempic/GLP-1s.
- etchalon
Cocktails, on average, are like $15.
What did the industry expect?