A new Gallup poll shows only 54 percent of U.S. adults now drink alcohol — the lowest level in the survey’s 90-year history. Those who do drink also report consuming less, according to the NY Times.
Drinking had remained at or above 60 percent for decades but dropped to 58 percent in 2024 before hitting this year’s record low. Gallup also found, for the first time, that most Americans believe even one to two drinks a day harm health.
“A decade or two ago, there was this perception that a glass of red wine with dinner every night might actually help you live longer,” said Dr. Scott Hadland of Mass General for Children. “It does seem now like it’s taking hold,” added Columbia epidemiologist Katherine Keyes, referring to shifting views of alcohol’s harms.
The Times writes that the health risks are well-documented: alcohol-related deaths more than doubled between 1999 and 2020, and research links even small amounts of drinking to DNA damage and cancer. Former surgeon general Vivek Murthy has called for cigarette-style warning labels on alcohol.
Middle-aged adults, who saw a spike in alcohol-related illness during the pandemic, reported the sharpest drop: just 56 percent said they drank, down from 70 percent in 2024. “That suggests the message is sinking in across the board, not just with young people,” said Johns Hopkins professor Johannes Thrul.
Only half of adults aged 18 to 34 reported drinking, steady from 2024 but down from 59 percent in 2023. Researchers attribute younger abstinence to more education on alcohol harms, pandemic-era social changes, and shifting culture. Thrul noted many are choosing cannabis instead, while “mindful drinking” and “sober curious” movements grow online alongside a booming nonalcoholic beverage market.
Polls are imperfect — alcohol use is often underreported — but other national surveys show the same trend. “Certainly a welcome sign for those of us in this area who have been trying to shift the messaging around alcohol use for a long time,” Keyes said.
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