It might be. GenZ seems to be drinking less.

https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/3936579-why-...

Can't wait for the inevitable "millenials are killing the beer industry" articles.

Good news, you don't have to wait.

https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-are-killing-beer...

It's honestly really absurd how many things millenials have killed. At this point it's just a point of pride how much stuff we're leaving in the past.

you think so? I mean, i basically stopped drinking a year or so ago because it just gave me headaches and I'm aware of the negative health affects, but I find myself in an extremely small category of people who don't drink simply because they don't want to. at least for my peers in their 30s.

I went for years not drinking alcohol. Wasn't 100%... I'd have a spirit out now and then but only if I wasn't driving anywhere. This limited me to conference/hotel setups where I was staying for a few days. So... I might have a few drinks 2-3 times per year. It was largely a health/safety concern, but also a financial one.

Partially due to covid/lockdowns, I started drinking at home more regularly. It's now 4-5 times per month, vs 2-3 times per year. Still can't do too much - heartburn in middle of night if I have more than a drink or so.

Part of the reason I felt more comfortable taking it up was financial. Denied myself this 'indulgence' for a few decades because the cost always seemed relatively high. I can afford it now more than I could 20 years ago, so I'm trying out new things and seeing what I like.

But I definitely felt some social awkwardness when you'd be the only person in a group not drinking. I think the social expectations have changed a bit over the decades - it's not as expected. And... I've changed over the decades - I care far less what people think of me in social settings like that.

Maybe in the US. Americans seem to be getting quite puritanical about these things. I’m not seeing the same in Europe.

It's not puritanical, it's just substitution: cannabis use is supplanting alcohol use.

Interesting, I’m not seeing that in Europe either.

Look at European birth rates and a bit more puritanism might be beneficial

Why? Some studies have shown benefits with moderate wine consumption for example

My understanding is that those were later refuted. (And that light wine drinking correlates with socio-economic status, which also correlates with health)

IIRC three is an increased risk of liver cirrhosis with even one drink a day compared to drinkers of none. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6776700/

But something like 50% of studies don't replicate?

Whether you think it is justified for health reasons, alcohol consumption is down heavily in GenZ compared to their parents at the same age.

Latest Huberman postcast episodes tend to discuss the opposite.

And other studies show the same benefits from moderate consumption of grape juice, sans the well-documented damage that alcohol causes.

True, also non-alcoholic and low alcohol beers are becoming more popular and better tasting.