Why are younger people not drinking alcohol anymore?

And why this change may be here to stay...

I’ve noticed a change in my clinics these days. When I ask patients under 25 about their alcohol consumption, I'm often met with the following answer…

"Of course I don't drink," they'll say, as if the answer is obvious….similar to how most people respond when I ask them if they smoke.

This is a stark contrast to some of the older generations who typically describe their nightly glass or two of wine as casually as they'd mention their morning coffee; a harmless ritual, even a healthy one! Yet for the younger generation, alcohol seems to have lost its automatic place at the table.

This shift has left me fascinated. What could be driving this change in how young people view alcohol? Why has a substance so deeply woven into our social fabric suddenly become optional, even undesirable, for the future generation?

A note to readers: While this newsletter explores generational trends in alcohol consumption, I recognise that individual experiences vary greatly. These observations reflect patterns I have seen…not generational truths. Alcohol use disorders affect all ages, and many older adults abstain completely (and have made that choice recently too!). Every person's relationship with alcohol is unique and deserving of respect.

The statistics behind the thought

A 2023 Gallup survey found that the number of adults under 35 who drink dropped 10% in two decades from 72% in 2001-2003 to 62% in 2021-2023. In the UK, the proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds who report drinking alcohol in the last week fell dramatically from 67% in 2002 to 37% in 2021. Among 15-year-olds in England, past-week drinking plummeted from 52% to 20% between 2001 and 2021.

Another survey showed that 39% of 18-24 year-olds don't drink alcohol at all, with one in five Gen-Z claiming complete abstinence from alcohol.

And I think this trend may be a structural shift rather than a temporary phase.

Why Gen-Z might be saying No

Several interconnected factors could explain why younger people are turning away from alcohol. They/we now have access to a wealth of information….far more than previous generations, extending from smoking to sex to drinking. With platforms like "FitTok"/TikTok, instagram, youtube and more accumulating over 64 billion views. They are exposed to health experts, medical clinicians, high quality podcasts which previous generations could not have imagined. They understand the risks before they even consider taking them.

Before the bad choice can turn into a bad habit they become well informed.

I personally feel this is the biggest factor by far.

Mental health awareness plays a crucial role. Almost two-thirds of 18-24 year-olds worry about alcohol's emotional impact, while a similar proportion want to learn about mindful drinking. Unlike older generations who might drink to cope, Gen Z may be prioritising emotional regulation and sees alcohol as counterproductive to their wellbeing goals.

A YouGov survey found 44% percent of drinkers between 18 to 24 say they occasionally or regularly order low or non-alcoholic drinks. This suggests the issue may not be financial or because Gen-Z aren’t as social.

I have a theory why so many nightclubs have closed down in the UK. People are now acutely aware that alcohol-influenced actions can be "immortalised online," with everyone having a smart phone ready to capture the moment, making them more cautious about behaviours they might later regret.

Young people entering alcohol treatment in England fell by 42% from 2014 to 2023, with a 34% decline during the pandemic itself. When socialising moved online or became activity-focused rather than bar-centred, alcohol lost its central role in young adult social life. Music venues catering to Gen Z report significant drops in alcohol sales during concerts…I wonder what the stats are for older themed concerts?

Why Their Caution Makes Sense

The younger generation's wariness of alcohol aligns perfectly with medical evidence. Alcohol is toxic to the liver…this is a biological fact. Regular, heavy drinking causes irreversible liver damage called cirrhosis, and cirrhosis represents the biggest risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of liver cancer.

The dose-response relationship is important too. Just 1-4 drinks daily increases cirrhosis risk. At 5+ drinks daily, the danger is exponential; women face up to 24-fold increased risk, men nearly 4-fold. Women consistently face higher risks at every level of consumption.

Hangovers aren’t fun and subjectively make you far less productive the day after the binge. For productivity enthusiasts, alcohol doesn’t make sense.

Alcohol withdrawal represents another serious medical concern. Symptoms begin 6-24 hours after the last drink and can progress to life-threatening delirium tremens. The clinical picture includes tremors, anxiety, nausea, and potentially seizures. Severe withdrawal requires immediate medical intervention with benzodiazepines to prevent potentially fatal complications.

Recent meta-analyses have demolished the myth of "safe" drinking levels. When studies properly account for methodology biases, daily low or moderate alcohol intake shows no significant protection against all-cause mortality. In fact, there's a significantly increased mortality risk for those drinking 45+ grams daily (roughly 3+ drinks).

Plus, drinking regularly but below national limits could be a slippery slope to drinking more in the future.

Not the prettiest sight…

The Wellness Revolution

This generation appears to approach health holistically. McKinsey research shows that 56% of Gen Z consumers in the US consider fitness a "very high priority," compared to 40% of all consumers. Gen Z are also spending more on wellness products, mindfulness apps, and therapy sessions than older generations.

Their food choices reflect this wellness focus. Eighty percent of millennials consider health benefits when selecting foods, compared to 64% of baby boomers. Gen Z demonstrates even greater health consciousness, with 50% viewing food as fuel and prioritising protein content over traditional health concerns like salt or sugar.

This generation may have grown up understanding that prevention beats treatment. They're already saving for retirement in their twenties because they may expect no social safety net. This same forward thinking applies to their health. They're likely investing in long-term wellness rather than risking future problems.

Breaking the Cycle: Not Copying Their Parents

Perhaps most significantly, many young people are consciously rejecting their parents' drinking patterns.

Research consistently shows that children of heavy-drinking parents are five times more likely to drink alcohol themselves. Young adults whose parents have moderate or high-risk alcohol consumption are significantly more likely to consume alcohol than those with abstaining parents.

This intergenerational transmission occurs through multiple pathways. Children exposed to intoxicated adults show increased alcohol use, and parental alcohol use during adolescence directly predicts offspring drinking patterns even after controlling for other behavioural factors.

TLDR: children literally copy what they observe.

However, I believe many young adults are consciously try to break intergenerational patterns. With 11 million American children living with at least one alcoholic parent, and 28% of UK adults concerned about someone else's drinking in 2024, today's young adults often view their elders' drinking habits as cautionary tales rather than social models. They are likely choosing to re-define sophistication, maturity, and celebration in ways that don't revolve around alcohol consumption.

They've watched their parents' generation struggle with wine-as-coping-mechanism culture, witnessed the health consequences, and chosen differently. Where previous generations viewed alcohol as a social lubricant or stress relief, younger people see it as an unnecessary risk to their carefully cultivated wellness.

The same generation appears to prioritise mental health, practices mindfulness, and treats their bodies with care…. therefore, naturally rejecting a substance that undermines all three goals.

Alcohol and Tobacco - the contrasting stigma

While young people are making evidence-based decisions to reduce alcohol consumption, they're doing so despite society's continued normalisation of a substance that causes similar harm to tobacco.

In 2011, just 14 US alcohol companies spent $3.45 billion on marketing, with traditional advertising representing only 32% of their efforts. The remainder went to sophisticated social media campaigns, lifestyle branding, and cultural integration designed to make alcohol seem essential to social connection and celebration.

Compare this to tobacco control success.

Graphic warning labels covering 50% of cigarette packages, comprehensive advertising bans, and industry exclusion from policy-making helped reduce smoking from 42% in 1965 to under 20% today. Meanwhile, alcohol warning labels haven't been updated since 1988, and many people don't even know alcohol causes cancer.

The tobacco industry was ejected from policy discussions because of their "fundamental conflict with public health." Yet alcohol companies remain active participants in regulation, spending $541 million on lobbying from 1998-2020 while maintaining the cultural legitimacy that tobacco lost decades ago.

Rant over

Their response to my clinic question, "Of course I don’t drink!", reflects not just personal choice but generational wisdom. They've looked at the evidence, observed the consequences, and made the logical decision.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be asking why they're not drinking, but instead why it took so long for a generation to make this choice….

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References

1. https://time.com/7203140/gen-z-drinking-less-alcohol/

2. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/2021

3. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/smoking-drinking-and-drug-use-among-young-people-in-england/2021/data-tables

4. https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/email/genz/2024/01/2024-01-23d.html

5. Roerecke M, Vafaei A et al. Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Liver Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2019 Oct;114(10):1574-1586

6. https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/3000096

7. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis and clinical management of alcohol-related physical complications. April 2017

8. https://www.promises.com/addiction-blog/children-imitate-parental-behaviors/

General Disclaimer

Please note that the opinions expressed here are those of Dr Hussenbux and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Buckinghamhsire Healthcare NHS Trust. The advice is intended as general and should not be interpreted as personal clinical advice. If you have problems, please tell your healthcare professional, who will be able to help you.