Alcohol consumption in America has hit a 90-year low, with young adults leading a cultural shift toward sobriety, discipline, and health-conscious living. According to a recent Gallup poll, just 54% of Americans reported drinking alcohol in 2023—the lowest figure since the survey began in 1939. Among adults aged 18 to 34, that number drops to just 50%.
Young Americans are increasingly rejecting alcohol, viewing it not as a rite of passage but as a threat to health and purpose. In 2001, only 30% of young adults saw moderate drinking as harmful. That number has now surged to nearly two-thirds. The shift appears to be driven by rising awareness of alcohol’s long-term effects and a cultural backlash against the chaos and dysfunction of the pandemic years.
The data also show a stark political divide: Republicans saw the largest drop in reported drinking, plunging 19 points from 65% in 2023 to 46% this year. Democrats and independents also reported reductions, but less dramatically.
The “manosphere,” fitness influencers, and Christian leaders have rallied around the anti-alcohol trend. Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman’s viral podcast episode, “Alcohol & Your Health,” garnered over 7.7 million views and sparked countless testimonies from individuals swearing off booze after learning of its neurological and hormonal toll.
High-profile figures like Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan, and Chris Williamson have encouraged young men to pursue sobriety, strength, and clarity. The late Charlie Kirk, a devout Christian and MAGA leader assassinated in 2024, was a vocal advocate of clean living and discipline. President Donald Trump, a lifelong teetotaler, has also spoken openly about his rejection of alcohol due to the tragic loss of his brother Fred.
This movement has also found a home in the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) coalition, a unifying force in Trump’s 2024 re-election. The coalition includes figures like HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and focuses on rejecting harmful substances, cleaning up the food supply, and resisting pharmaceutical overreach.
Outside politics, wellness culture is booming. Non-drinking Gen Zers are forming “wellness clubs,” where cold plunges, fitness classes, and mocktails replace binge drinking. These clubs have been dubbed “Gen Z’s country club” and are exploding in popularity from Florida to the West Coast. Events like The Club Palm Beach in Jupiter draw hundreds of young adults for community and fitness—without alcohol as the main attraction.
Mocktails are also taking off, now a mainstay on upscale menus nationwide. Google Trends and restaurant data show a dramatic rise in demand for non-alcoholic beverages that offer the same aesthetic and experience as cocktails—minus the regret.
In a world increasingly marked by anxiety, loneliness, and physical decline, young Americans are choosing clarity, connection, and purpose over the fleeting highs of alcohol.
