Fewer Drinks, More Cannabis? Americans Shift Habits

Alcohol use has hit its lowest mark in almost 90 years of Gallup tracking. Just 54 percent of adults now say they drink, down from 65 percent a decade earlier. The share matches last year’s lowest point. Only 13 percent admit to occasional heavy drinking. More than half of respondents now think one or two drinks a day are harmful. Six percent still believe moderate drinking is beneficial. Twenty‑five years ago, 27 percent called moderate drinking unhealthy and 22 percent called it healthy. Declines have been seen across age groups and genders, with drops of six to ten percentage points.

Beer still leads as the favorite drink, chosen by 36 percent of drinkers. Liquor follows at 32 percent and wine at 30 percent. Dr. Joshua Septimus, a Houston Methodist physician, says there is no safe level of alcohol. He notes that alcohol has long been part of social gatherings, so the shift could affect human connection. He doubts that lower drinking automatically means better health. He observes that younger patients are cutting back on booze but turning to very strong cannabis at high rates. “You’re swapping one problem for another,” he comments.

Medical knowledge about cannabis remains limited, Septimus says, because it was classified as a Schedule I drug for so long. The Trump administration is moving to reclassify marijuana as less restrictive. Recent surveys show about one in five Americans over 25 used marijuana in the past year. Forty‑one states now permit medical use and twenty‑24 allow recreational use. He has seen clear pain relief for some chronic‑pain patients using doctor‑prescribed marijuana. Yet the long‑term health effects are still unknown, especially how different ways of consuming—edibles, vaping, smoking—affect the body.

Research that challenges the “French paradox” has helped people rethink alcohol, Septimus adds. He also points to social media influencers who speak openly about the dangers of drinking. Their messages may be encouraging more people to put down their glasses. The overall trend suggests a cultural shift toward fewer alcoholic drinks and more cautious choices about substances.