US alcohol consumption drops to a 90-year low, Gallup poll finds

Only 54% of Americans report consuming alcohol, the lowest figure in the 90-year history of Gallup polling.

For the first time in the history of the annual Consumption Habits poll, more than half of respondents (53%) stated that moderate drinking—defined as one or two drinks per day—is unhealthy.

Those who do drink are consuming less. Forty percent of drinkers reported that it had been more than a week since their last alcoholic beverage, the highest rate recorded since 2000.

This trend is consistent across all demographic groups. Over the past two years, consumption rates have declined in every conceivable category, including age, income level, gender, and even political affiliation.

Just 46% of Republicans reported consuming alcohol this year, marking a 19-point decrease from two years prior.

Democrats, in contrast, experienced a three-point decline from 64% to 61% during the same period.

Among the 18-34 age group, 66% believe that even “moderate drinking” is detrimental to health.

While some observers link the decline in alcohol sales to the rise in recreational marijuana use, Lydia Saad, Gallup’s director of social research, stated that marijuana use is not the cause of this significant shift.

Barclays beverage analyst Laurence Whyatt told the Financial Times (FT) that the primary reason is financial hardship, although he predicts the economic outlook will improve in the long term.

Meanwhile, nicotine has surpassed beer as the preferred addictive substance.

In line with this trend, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the stock prices of British American Tobacco, Altria Group, and Philip Morris have risen this year.

Conversely, shares of Molson Coors and Constellation are in decline. Anheuser-Busch has recorded an increase of approximately 23% this year, yet its beer sales have fallen for nine consecutive quarters.