Americans are reaching for alcohol at record lows, according to a new Gallup survey released on August 20. For the second consecutive year, the number of Americans who report that they drink alcohol remains at 54%. Experts suggest this is not a temporary fluctuation, with Dr. Jared Harp, an addiction psychiatrist at the Cleveland Clinic, noting that the trend appears likely to continue strengthening.
Health concerns are identified as a major factor in this decline. The survey results show that 51% of U.S. adults now believe that consuming one or two alcoholic beverages daily is detrimental to one's health, a figure that remains essentially unchanged from the 53% record-high reported last year. This represents a significant shift in public perception; in 2001, only 27% of Americans considered moderate drinking to be bad for their health.
Increased awareness of scientific research is also playing a role. The survey found that 86% of Americans have heard at least something about recent studies concerning the long-term health effects of drinking, an increase from 79% in 2024. This awareness coincides with research published earlier this year in the American Cancer Society's peer-reviewed journal, Cancer, which linked alcohol consumption to higher risks of certain cancers. The study found that drinkers with an average lifetime intake of 14 or more drinks per week had a 25% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer and a 95% higher risk of developing rectal cancer compared to those who averaged less than one drink per week.
Reports of overdrinking have also reached a new low of 13%. This is a notable decrease from the period before 2000, when more than 20% of Americans routinely reported overdrinking, including a record-high of 35% in 1989. Additionally, for the first time, Gallup asked about the use of nonalcoholic alternatives, finding that 17% of respondents reported consuming nonalcoholic beer, wine, or spirits instead of an alcoholic drink within the past year. These findings are based on interviews conducted in July with more than 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.
Not sure about grabbing that beer? You're not alone.
"Fifty-one percent of U.S. adults now believe drinking one or two alcoholic beverages a day is bad for one’s health," the survey results noted. "The figure is essentially unchanged from last year’s record-high 53%."
