Once a quintessential companion for any social event, alcoholic beverages are becoming passé. A recent Gallup poll found that Americans’ drinking habits are at an all-time low, with only 54% of adults saying they consume alcohol.

For nearly three decades, at least 60% of Americans reported that they drink. 2024 marked the end of this era, with the number of drinkers dipping to 58%. This decline seemed to follow greater public awareness about the health risks associated with drinking, as 53% of Americans stated that moderate alcohol consumption is bad for one’s health. For example, in early 2023, The Lancet Public Health published a paper cautioning that no amount of alcohol consumption is safe for health. The body’s process of breaking down ethanol, alcohol’s active ingredient, creates acetaldehyde, a chemical that is believed to be a human carcinogen.