Alcohol use declines among Generation Z
A growing focus on physical and mental health is reshaping how some young adults approach drinking
Britt Rosenstein working out at her local gym
Boca Raton – As Britt Rosenstein finishes the last reps of her favorite workout, she wipes the sweat off her face with a smile. With a clear mind and warmed-up body, she’s now ready to conquer her day.
Rosenstein, 22, avoids alcohol to stay productive and reach her fitness goals. She binge drank in college and said the habit made her feel like she was losing herself. Her workouts were not as effective.
“I didn't like the image it portrayed. It was not the person I am. It's also something that I commit to every day, and it's a choice,” she said. “It's not even something I question anymore. It's a habit. Every day, you brush your teeth—that's how I treat fitness and my mental well-being too.”
Young adults have long congregated around alcoholic beverages. But today, some Gen Zers like Rosenstein are choosing to go out sober or drink in moderation.
EduBirdie found that 63% of Gen Z respondents said they plan to quit drinking. A 2025 Gallup study reported that 50% of Americans ages 18 to 34 drink alcohol, a decrease from 72% two decades ago.
Experts say there isn’t one single cause behind this shift away from alcohol. However, there is a recurring theme: a push toward wellness, both physically and mentally.
Dr. Konstantin Lukin, founder of Lukin Center for Psychotherapy in New Jersey, said more Gen Z individuals identify as “sober-curious.”
“I think they're more interested in and open to creating a lifestyle they truly want, and it sounds like it’s a healthier lifestyle,” Lukin said.
This shift away from alcohol extends beyond the United States.
Abi Stevely, a research fellow at The University of Sheffield in England, specializes in public health. Through her data analysis, she said young people are drinking less in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, and Australia.
“It’s a culture of caution,” Stevely said.
This trend can also be seen among Gen Z students at The University of Tampa.
Twenty-year-old sophomore Lauren Williams avoids alcohol to stay fit. She said she tries to keep her body healthy by primarily consuming protein, walking 10,000 steps a day, and working out at the gym.
“To see the difference that putting so much effort and time into your health makes in your whole life is incredible,” Williams said. “I think a lot of people don't realize how much it contributes to the bigger picture.”
University of Tampa sophomore Lauren Williams, 20, working out at the campus gym
Williams said that instead of going out drinking, she would rather relax at home and watch a movie with friends.
“I think it's important for everyone to realize that it's okay to be sober,” Williams said. “It's your life at the end of the day. It's your health.”
The University of Tampa senior Grace Idevaio, 21, limits her alcohol consumption to one or two drinks when going out to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Idevaio works out every morning. She said she cannot motivate herself to go to the gym after a night of drinking.
“It makes me feel gross,” she said. “I just don’t think it fits me or my lifestyle.”
Grace Idevaio, 21, University of Tampa senior
Idevaio said she gained weight and often felt bloated after drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. She said she would rather drink beverages that make her feel good, such as matcha or coffee.
Sophomore Tabitha Swansen, a 19-year-old psychology major, also chooses wellness over alcohol.
“I don’t have time to be hungover,” Swansen said. “I want to get up. I want to get that workout in so I can be present for all the other things I need to accomplish that day.”
Tabitha Swansen, 19, University of Tampa sophomore
Amy Pennay, 44, an associate professor at The Centre for Alcohol Policy Research at La Trobe University, said that rather than going out drinking and socializing with friends, some Gen Z individuals are more focused on studying and prefer staying home.
“They're so reflective and thoughtful about their bodies and their futures,” Pennay said. “They're thinking about things beyond simply having fun in the moment, which is what many people in my generation focused on.”
Although fitness is a large part of Swansen’s life, she also stays sober to remain focused on her academic goals. Through her studies, she learned how harmful alcohol can be neurologically.
Lukin said alcohol can impair long-term memory.
Data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism show other negative health effects that can result from drinking alcohol, including mood swings, difficulty thinking, loss of coordination, damage to major organ systems, and an increased risk of cancer.
“I need my brain for schoolwork,” Swansen said. “I would never want to consume anything that could harm my academic performance.”
Swansen is a resident assistant on campus. Her responsibility to document underage drinking has led her to associate alcohol with punishment.
When Swansen goes to dinner with friends who are drinking, she said she often orders a mocktail.
Like Swansen, Rosenstein drinks mocktails when she goes out. A club soda with lime is her favorite. She said she only drinks alcohol on special occasions and always in moderation.
While some Gen Z individuals stay completely or somewhat sober, others choose cannabis over alcohol.
A Sanctuary Wellness Institute survey found that 33% of Gen Z Americans use marijuana.
Twenty-three-year-old Land O’Lakes resident Gabriel Carrera avoids alcohol for fitness reasons like many Gen Z individuals, but prefers cannabis to help manage his anxiety.
“It calms my nerves after a stressful week,” Carrera said. “Whereas alcohol makes my mood more irritated and inconsistent, and with the aftereffects, it’s just avoidable.”
After drinking alcohol, Carrera said he often feels weak. As a mixed martial arts athlete and bodybuilder, he needs his strength to succeed every day.
“Alcohol limits me.”
Carrera after a three-hour MMA training session
Like Rosenstein, he drinks occasionally at social events with friends, usually while watching live MMA fights together at a bar.
“If I needed alcohol to have a good time, then realistically, I’d just be forcing myself to be in a situation I wouldn’t necessarily enjoy in the first place.”
Experts say that although Gen Z avoiding alcohol is a step in the right direction, relying on other substances such as cannabis is not necessarily healthy. They say remaining sober from all substances, including alcohol and cannabis, is best for the body.
Studies and previous reporting show that avoiding alcohol and cannabis can improve cognitive restoration, sleep cycles, major organ function, mental and emotional stability, and physical appearance through weight loss and enhanced fitness.
As more young people prioritize health and wellness, their personal choices are reshaping social habits.
Industry and behavioral research show that Gen Z spends about 20% to 30% less on alcohol in nightlife settings compared to older generations.
To meet demand, some bars now offer nonalcoholic beverages.
In Seminole Heights, Velvet Gypsy offers a mocktail menu and an assortment of nonalcoholic wines, champagne, and beer, giving people who avoid alcohol many options to choose from.
The owner of the bar, Moe Pickering, said any drink on the cocktail menu can be served without alcohol. She said the nonalcoholic beers are among the bar’s bestsellers, and she strives to provide options for everyone.
Velvet Gypsy mocktail menu
“I think what a lot of bars and restaurants are trying to show is that it's okay if you don't want to drink,” Pickering said. “You should still be able to go out, spend time with your friends, and feel included. But a lot of times, people feel that if you're not doing what everyone else is doing, then you're the outcast.”
Pickering said most customers who purchase nonalcoholic beverages appear to be in their mid-to-late twenties, falling within the Gen Z demographic.
THC seltzers are also included on the nonalcoholic menu. Pickering said they are among the bar’s most popular beverages.
Velvet Gypsy THC seltzers and nonalcoholic beers, bottom right
“They really like those cocktails because they help them relax.”
Some bars do not sell alcohol at all.
Previous reporting shows sober bars emerging across the U.S. in states such as New York, Georgia, California, and Florida.
Nonalcoholic options such as coffee, mocktails, kava, CBD drinks, zero-proof cocktail bitters, and kombucha can be found on menus at select bars.
The decision by many Generation Z individuals to avoid alcohol signals what could become a broader cultural shift—one focused on health, control, and intentional living over the social norms of the past.
Lukin said he believes this trend will continue among Gen Z individuals.
“If a habit has already been established, it is more likely that that person will continue living that type of lifestyle.”
From The University of Tampa to cities around the world, young adults are redefining what it means to go out, relax, and socialize. And for many, that no longer includes alcohol.
