Alcohol isn’t cool anymore. At least, that is what the numbers say. According to the latest Gallup poll released this week, only 54% of U.S. adults now report drinking alcohol. That is the lowest it has been since 1939, and the trend is clear: people are backing away from booze, and fast.

Just last year, the number was 62%. In 2024, it dropped to 58%. Now, we are seeing the biggest single-year dip in decades. And it is not just one group slowing down. Women, young adults, and Republicans are leading the retreat.

For years, researchers have warned about the risks of alcohol. But now, for the first time ever, most Americans believe even a couple of drinks a day can harm their health.

Adam / Unsplash / In 2018, only 28% thought moderate drinking was bad. Now, that number has shot up to 53%.

Among young adults, it is even higher. Two-thirds of 18 to 34-year-olds believe alcohol is a health risk, and more women than men feel the same way. That shift shows the science is sticking.

The Old “Glass of Wine is Good for You” Line is Dead

People aren’t buying the red wine myth anymore. New research links all alcohol, even light drinking, to cancer, high blood pressure, and more. The health world has backed off from those old “heart health” claims. Turns out, there is no safe amount.

Only 24% of drinkers had a drink in the last 24 hours. And 40% said they haven’t had one in over a week. That is the biggest dry spell Gallup has seen since 2000. The average drinker now has 2.8 drinks per week. A year ago, it was 3.8. 20 years ago, it was over 5.

Young people are building different habits. They are growing up with stronger health messaging, and it is showing. Many are skipping alcohol entirely. Others are into mocktails, non-alcoholic beer, or “sober curious” lifestyles.

The Industry is Feeling the Burn

Big alcohol is sweating. Sales are down, especially for wine and spirits. Brands are cutting marketing budgets and shifting toward non-alcoholic products. They are trying to pivot. But it is clear they are chasing a shrinking crowd.

What is more, this drop in drinking isn’t because people are switching to weed. Marijuana use has stayed pretty flat. That kills the idea that people are just swapping one substance for another. This is a deeper shift in how people think.

Stan / Unsplash / The U.S. Surgeon General wants warning labels on alcohol, just like cigarettes. Labels that say things like “alcohol causes cancer.”

Federal guidelines could also change soon. The old “one drink a day is fine” advice? That may get tossed out. The new science points to a simple message: no amount is totally safe.

However, this isn’t just about individual choices. It is a culture shift. We have seen it before. Smoking used to be normal, too. Then health warnings hit hard in the '60s, and people started quitting. Now, alcohol is going through a similar reset.

Sure, some of it is timing. People are still bouncing back from the pandemic. Prices are high. Social habits have changed. But the real reason for this drop in alcohol use? People are just thinking differently. Especially younger generations. They want to feel better, live longer, and ditch the stuff that doesn’t help.