While younger generations are drinking less, adults aged 50 to 64 are drinking more, causing a shift reshaping the US bar scene
Alcohol consumption has decreased across the United States in recent years, particularly among adults under age 40, but there is one older demographic in which more people are drinking than before the Covid-19 pandemic – and more are doing so heavily, according to a new study.
For the first time since before the pandemic, the percentage of US adults who drink any alcohol decreased between 2022 and 2024, according to the report in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. People from 50 to 64, which roughly corresponds with gen X, were the only age group in which drinking continued to increase.
They are likely hurting their health by imbibing, according to the latest science, but they are also helping keep open bars. Such businesses have struggled as younger generations, the drivers of nightlife, move away from booze.
Not mentioned in the article: 20- and 30-somethings are broke, and a night out is crazy expensive now. Plus legal weed is waaaay cheaper than alcohol.
This was my argument for a long time. For 25 I get 12 that’ll last me a night IF I don’t share. 25 of weed will get you 3 days if you just smoke j. Plus the whole not becoming a degen that makes bad choices is a plus.
not sure about that last part
plus weed psychosis is real
Calling it “weed psychosis” is confusing correlation with causation. Nimbys and cops harass people who smoke weed, making them paranoid. Occasionally they crack and wind up in the psych ward. Doctor sees “weed use,” ascribes causation, and records it as such.
Dozens/hundreds of these cases stack up, some researchers do meta-analysis, nobody points out what would be glaringly obvious to a stoner (and any stoner who points it out gets labeled psychotic/delusional), and the “causality” gets made official.
Then doctors continue recording “psychosis” every time a stoner says “I’m being stalked and harassed,” and the cycle continues.
ehhh if you’re a PBR enjoyer $12 for a 12-pack is hard to beat. I like my weed, but it ain’t $12 cheap yet here
Bummer to hear. $20 a quarter oz here lasts me longer than two twelve packs, so a little more affordable. It’s definitely not topshelf weed, but PBR isn’t primo either. I’m in cali though where the weed market has collapsed due to oversaturation and over regulation.
Yeah, I only go out on occasions.