Americans Are (Still) Drinking Less than Ever Before
U.S. alcohol consumption hits the lowest record since Gallup began surveying on this topic in 1939.
A new Gallup poll has revealed that Americans are drinking less alcohol than ever before, with only 54% of surveyed adults saying they consume alcohol, the same percentage as last year and the lowest recorded since 1939. Researchers suggest that growing public awareness of alcohol's health risks may be contributing to this decline.
More than half of respondents said they consider alcohol "bad for health," a significant increase from previous decades. Additionally, 86% of people polled said they had heard of recent studies linking alcohol to long-term health effects, like cancer and liver disease.
However, experts warn that the poll results don't paint the full picture. While overall alcohol use may be declining, alcohol remains the second-deadliest drug in the U.S., behind tobacco, killing about 178,000 people annually. Health-conscious individuals, particularly college students and older adults, seem to be cutting back on drinking, but rates of heavy drinking and binge drinking remain high.
The Gallup poll also found that attitudes towards drinking have shifted, with a significant portion of respondents saying they sometimes drink more than they should. Researchers suggest that factors like increased cannabis use, GLP-1 drugs, higher alcohol prices, and policies aimed at curbing harmful drinking may also be contributing to the decline in alcohol consumption. Interestingly, the poll shows a decline in alcohol use among Republicans and Independents, while Democrats' consumption remains unchanged since 2023.
Written by urgent.news from Time's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
