More than halfway through Dry January, many students are opting out of drinking not as a New Year’s resolution, but because it has already become their default.
Decades of data suggest Gen Z might be drinking less than previous generations. Although alcohol consumption tends to be the highest in young adults, multiple studies show consistent declines in drinking among people under 35 over the past two decades. In Canada, recent alcohol use among 12- to 17-year-olds fell below 40 per cent between 1999 and 2017, while monthly drinking declined from 45 per cent to 28 per cent between 2002 and 2014.
These trends suggest that reduced alcohol consumption isn’t limited to short periods of abstinence. For many young adults, drinking may no longer be a rite of passage or a central feature of social life.
Health concerns are one factor contributing to this decline. Unlike previous generations, current students have grown up with widespread access to information about the long-term effects of alcohol consumption, including increased risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, organ damage, and infertility. As a result, alcohol is increasingly viewed as a health risk rather than a harmless social activity, prompting some students to reconsider how often, or whether, they drink.
Health concerns are reflected in changing cultural aesthetics online, including the rise of wellness-oriented and so-called “clean girl” trends on social media. These ideals prioritize visible markers of health such as clear skin, physical fitness, discipline, and self-control—qualities that often sit at odds with alcohol consumption. In this context, drinking is more often portrayed as something that disrupts routines and wellness goals rather than as a symbol of fun or release. As a result, for some students, drinking less becomes not only about avoiding long-term health risks, but about maintaining a form of health that is immediately visible.
Mental health awareness has also affected attitudes toward alcohol. 22 per cent of those who drink report increased anxiety and low mood in the days following drinking, a phenomenon appropriately nicknamed “hangxiety.” For a generation experiencing higher rates of anxiety than the previous three generations, the emotional after-effects of drinking can outweigh the short-term social benefits.
Changing social habits has also played a role in reducing alcohol use. Most drinking tends to occur in face-to-face social settings, with a 1998 study showing that 75 per cent of young people drank primarily to “have a good time with friends.” Today, however, people between the ages of 15-24 spend 70 per cent less time socializing in person than those before them, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. As social interaction increasingly moves online, alcohol has become less important to how young people connect.
“I think drinking makes the most sense when people are together,” said Sam Schaffer, ArtSci ’27. “It’s something you do while hanging out, whether that’s at home, a bar, or a party, that makes things feel more social. On its own, alcohol isn’t that appealing to me; it’s the experience of drinking with others that I actually enjoy.”
Cost is another deterrent. As living expenses rise, alcohol has become a lower priority for many students. With rent and groceries taking up a growing share of student budgets, discretionary purchases like alcohol are often the first to be cut. The expansion of alcohol sales into convenience stores has also come with higher prices—a cost that is expected to increase further in 2026, when the provincial government ends a favourable pricing scheme for convenience retailers.
“Alcohol has gotten really expensive,” said Sebastien van der Woude, Sci ’27. “When the provincial government allowed alcohol to be sold in convenience stores, it gave retailers an excuse to hike up prices, which makes drinking feel less worth it.”
Although students aren’t rejecting alcohol altogether, consumption may be more selective due to rising prices and greater acceptance of alternatives such as cannabis, or choosing no substances at all.
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