Alcohol consumption is falling for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, with Gen Z and millennials helping drive the decline, according to a new report published by CNN.
The shift comes after alcohol use rose during the pandemic, when lockdowns, isolation and changes in social habits contributed to increased drinking among some groups.
CNN reported Monday that health experts are now seeing signs that the pandemic-era increase has begun to reverse, particularly among younger adults.
The decline fits a broader change in attitudes toward drinking. Younger adults have increasingly expressed concerns about alcohol’s effects on physical and mental health and are more likely than older generations to reduce or avoid drinking.
Previous polling has also documented the generational divide. In 2024, 65% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 34 surveyed by Gallup said alcohol negatively affects health, compared with just over one-third of adults 35 and older. Younger adults were also the age group showing the fastest decline in reported alcohol consumption.
By 2025, CNN reported that only 54% of Americans said they drank alcohol, while attitudes toward even moderate consumption had become increasingly negative.
The trend has coincided with growing interest in alcohol-free drinks, “sober curious” lifestyles and social activities that do not revolve around drinking.
The latest findings suggest the behavioral changes that began among younger Americans may now be contributing to a broader decline in alcohol consumption after several years of elevated use associated with the pandemic.
