Record low number of Americans report
drinking alcohol, and new teetotalers
are explaining why
Fox News,
by
Pilar Arias
Original Article
Posted By: cThree,
8/13/2025 2:12:06 PM
More Americans than ever are choosing not to drink alcohol, according to a new Gallup Poll.
Only 54% of respondents to Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits survey conducted last month say they consume alcohol, which is the lowest on record in nearly 90 years.
"This coincides with a growing belief among Americans that moderate alcohol consumption is bad for one’s health, now the majority view for the first time," Gallup said in a press release.
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Reply 1 - Posted by:
cThree 8/13/2025 2:17:34 PM (No. 1990127)
This report cites health reasons, such as a link to pancreatic cancer.
Less alcohol will probably leave us more productive, healthy wealthy and wise. I myself drink a lot less.
But I'll miss those bygone binge days, and all the good times I can't remember.
21 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
earlybird 8/13/2025 2:36:05 PM (No. 1990130)
Wine was a big deal here in the 70s. Wines began to be produced in California that rivalled the prize wines of France. But probably ly with some exceptions, wine drinkers did not imbibe to excess, and usually accompanied their wine with food.
Fox's Dr. Siegel expressed concern about the change of rating of marijuana \remarking that what is being sold today is not the Woodstock stuff of the 60s. The THC in that was 1.5%. In the 90s, 4% Today's is 30%.
11 people like this.
I’d like to consume alcohol in moderation, I just can’t afford it. =8^)
11 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
earlybird 8/13/2025 2:40:14 PM (No. 1990133)
I have never known anyone whose personality was improved by alcohol.
25 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Jethro bo 8/13/2025 2:54:31 PM (No. 1990138)
Not sure I believe the poll. When shopping in stores where alcohol is also sold, I've not noticed the alcohol section getting smaller. Not advocating for condemning alcohol, just don't believe with my own eyes the industry and its products are decreasing. I bet the poll asked if people consumed Bud Light as the beer. If so, that would explain the decrease amount the Refublicans and no change for DeMS-13.
7 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Timber Queen 8/13/2025 2:55:34 PM (No. 1990139)
Neither TK nor I drink alcohol. I sometimes do on special occasions. I am partial to "the bubbly". My parents drank a lot, but so did their friends and our neighbors. TK's parents were full-blown alcoholics. They were all WWII veterans, along with their wives as veterans of the home front. I think it was a backlash to Prohibition. When it was illegal, booze had a lot more cache and that "cache" continued after legalization and during the war years. The old alcohol advertisements were generally pretty classy. Then they were replaced with the "Don't Drink and Drive" campaign with pictures of horrible accidents. I'm not sure if the drop in the consumption of alcohol is a natural occurrence, or it was the result of social engineering.
7 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
LC Chihuahua 8/13/2025 2:59:16 PM (No. 1990143)
Neither of my parents drank while I grew up. Learned later that my Dad stopped drinking (before I was born) because alcohol wrecked his stomach when he was young. It was a good case of learning by example. Dad stopped drinking and I never started. Number of times I consumed any alcohol can be counted on one hand. Usually a toast at a wedding dinner. I discovered it was an acquired taste. If it's an acquired taste, I usually never bother to acquire it. Seen plenty of drunks in my life. I recall a drunk trying to kick a building...and missing. Also saw plenty of people getting sick from drinking. Saw plenty of fights and damaged property too. More than once I was the only person in a restaurant not drinking and getting drunk. I'm usually the first to leave. It's just not my style. About a decade ago, I served on a county grand jury. Heard three fatality cases, all alcohol fueled. The dark side of a person can come out when they are drunk. If any leader proposed banning alcohol, I wouldn't be opposed. I also know it will never happen. We live in a culture that legalizes alcohol and drugs, but wants to outlaw tobacco. Someone explain that because I don't get it.
12 people like this.
I work with a bunch of millennials and Zoomers. Drinking, bar hopping, and "partying" simply aren't part of their conversations or lifestyles, compared to everyone I knew (myself included) when their age. It may be due to all the digital distractions that weren't available before, which left going to the bar as the only option for easy fun. Personally, have transitioned from the halcyon days of getting blottoed every night to passing up any opportunity to have so much as a sip of wine - and have never felt better. When out with others, I just tell them that I used up my quota years ago.
14 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Ida Lou Pino 8/13/2025 3:09:50 PM (No. 1990148)
They're not drinking liquor as much - - because smoking weed and crack are taking up all of their leisure time.
19 people like this.
I think a big part of it is dating has moved online vs. going to bars. The main reason I went to bars as a young adult was to socialize.
I've pretty much stopped drinking because: (1) it messes with my sleep and (2) I like to stay thin/fit, and it has a lot of calories. I work out far too hard to be fat.
10 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
chumley 8/13/2025 3:52:12 PM (No. 1990168)
I am drinking quite a bit less than I used to. The reason is not related to any health effects or studies. The reason is because I dont feel like it.
10 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
zephyrgirl 8/13/2025 4:13:33 PM (No. 1990174)
My DH and I were never big drinkers (maybe glass of champagne1-2 times a year), but sometime in the past decade, we quit entirely. We haven't missed it.
6 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
czechlist 8/13/2025 4:25:14 PM (No. 1990182)
Does not explain all of the new liquor stores in my area where once there was a church on every corner
9 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
Strike3 8/13/2025 5:06:53 PM (No. 1990198)
It's also bad for your financial health. The Karens of the world have ruined the lives of many people who have had a beer or two after work.
7 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
DVC 8/13/2025 5:40:54 PM (No. 1990212)
Hmmm. I stopped drinking at age 20 after a lot of sampling which showed me that 1) I hated the way ANY and all of it tastes and 2) I very much disliked the effects it had on me at the time, and the next day.
So.....no reason at all to drink alcohol. I actually LIKE the way I feel on any given day, have not the slightest desire to "feel differently" by taking any intoxicant or mood altering drugs.
4 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
raspberry 8/13/2025 6:02:09 PM (No. 1990227)
One very realistic deterrent to drinking is having had alcoholic parents.
4 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
Timber Queen 8/13/2025 6:02:11 PM (No. 1990228)
#7 - I think "they" restricted and demonized tobacco because it gives a person a slight boost in mental focus and energy. During WWII, up to and including Vietnam, a pack of cigarettes were included in each fighting man's field meals. The two main reasons were enhanced alertness, and nicotine is mild pain killer. Marijuana is a relaxant and does produce a "whatever" attitude. When considering that the "powers-that-be" decided they wanted a compliant segment of the population, outlawing tobacco and replacing it marijuana makes sense.
4 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
udanja99 8/13/2025 7:06:21 PM (No. 1990247)
Recovering alcoholic with 37 years of sobriety here. #4 reminded me of a saying I learned in AA…”Instant as s hole, just add alcohol.”
My husband recently had knee replacement surgery and his physical therapist told him not to drink any alcohol even though he is only taking Tylenol for pain and no narcotics. I asked why and she said that alcohol causes inflammation. Never knew that.
3 people like this.
Well, I guess I'm making up for them.
5 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
JackBurton 8/13/2025 9:09:35 PM (No. 1990293)
Just got back from a trip to a part of the country with lower liquor costs/greater number of varieties. Bought about $600 of bourbons and whiskies. I'm 74. My elder sibling died at 57. My dad died at 62.
I may be pickled but I'm still kicking.
7 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
mc squared 8/13/2025 9:58:03 PM (No. 1990309)
Not evident where Iive. In moderation, probably not worse than the Killer Bees were.
3 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
WWIIDaughter 8/13/2025 10:03:03 PM (No. 1990310)
Asking someone if they drink alcohol is like asking someone if they exceed the speed limit or ever cheated on a test. It's a question that begs for the answer "no."
Personally, I drink only when out for a fine, expensive meal. I love good wine so I treat myself to a glass of the best. This happens about 4 times per year. If the doctor asks me if I drink alcohol, I say no because I definitely am not a "drinker" and don't want it in my medical records. Insurance costs me enough that I really don't want to add any "risk" factors to my profile. I'm quite sure that people who are drinkers prefer not to tell some anonymous survey all about it. Junk survey, meaningless report.
2 people like this.
Reply 23 - Posted by:
Sunhan65 8/13/2025 10:07:46 PM (No. 1990311)
I realize there's a serious point being made, #4, and I agree with you for the most part. However, I am honestly more fun, more friendly, and far happier if I've had some alcohol to drink. I remember fondly many happy days with friends, and laughing until tears came out of her eyes.
Having said all that, I'm in the same boat as #10. I'm older now, I need to sleep every night, and I need to sleep properly. Alcohol makes it seem as if I haven't slept at all.
And I've been enjoying #20's replies for over 20 years now and, pickled or not, it's still all in the reflexes, as a wise truck driver once said.
4 people like this.
Reply 24 - Posted by:
Strike3 8/14/2025 6:13:31 AM (No. 1990398)
While the many physical and mental health problems with alcohol have been proven to far outweigh the benefits, I still fondly remember my great grandmother celebrating her 100th birthday by throwing back a shot of whiskey. So there's that.
5 people like this.
Reply 25 - Posted by:
homefry 8/14/2025 7:07:36 AM (No. 1990413)
I have drank 2 beers in the last 25 years, and they were probably 5-6 years apart, and both were delicious.
3 people like this.
Reply 26 - Posted by:
Daisymay 8/14/2025 8:46:36 AM (No. 1990453)
I always have one glass of wine every evening. I either have it before or with my Dinner. I am 84! My Hubby also has his One glass of whatever he wants before Dinner. I think that is okay! Neither of us have been Big Drinkers! So, I say if you stick to One Glass of Whatever you enjoy, that's fine! Neither of us are Smokers. I guess we will see what takes us down in the end, but I don't think it will be my One Glass of Wine!!
5 people like this.
Reply 27 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 8/14/2025 1:26:26 PM (No. 1990623)
I quit a couple of years ago for health reasons (seizures). Pretty much poured it down for 50 years. I don't miss it physically anymore, just the sociability of having a few drinks with friends. I am 83, so I guess I'm just lucky.
1 person likes this.
Reply 28 - Posted by:
preciosodrogas 8/14/2025 2:08:21 PM (No. 1990638)
I don't have a problem with alcohol. College, military, law school, through the lean years, over dinner with friends, parties, dinner with my wife, while the list is not all inclusive it covers the mood. The medicine I need does not permit it, so I don't. I miss it sometimes or maybe it's just the events that I miss.
0 people like this.
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Definitely TRUMP'S FAULT!! by example, MASA. (Make America Sober Again)