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Alcohol use among teenagers is on the decline

We've previously written about how the share of Americans who drink alcohol has fallen to a record low. Gen Z adults of drinking age (21-29) have lower participation and higher rates of abstinence from alcohol than prior generations at the same age (fewer drinks, more non-drinkers). New data on drinking among teenagers suggest that Gen Z minors and adults below drinking age (age 14-20) may drink even less at the same ages as current Gen Z drinking-age adults.

A long-standing decline in teen drinking began in the late '90s according to the Monitoring the Future Study that has tracked young people's substance use for half a century. The trend has only accelerated.

According to the study, in 2025, only 22% of 12^th graders drank alcohol, down from 33% a decade earlier. They are just three years away from the legal drinking age.

In 2025, past-30-day consumption among 8^th-, 10^th-, and 12^th-grade students remained at record lows. Drinking among teens has declined significantly over the past decade:

• 41% among 8^th graders,
• 48% among 10th graders
• 33% among 12th graders.

Janfaza Rachel, a Gen Z researcher and author of "The Up and Up" newsletter says there are three reasons she thinks young people are drinking less:

• A pandemic shift on the social life for teens where socialization mostly happen online.
• Health and body optimization pressures are affecting both young women and men in particular through the GLP-1 craze, so-called "looksmaxxing" and skinny culture.
• For Gen Z, economic pressure is reducing dating. One study found that only roughly half of men and women are not spending any money on dates.

Takeaway

Gallup's July 2025 poll found that only 54% of U.S. adults now consume alcohol, down from 64% in 2019. For adults age 18-34, it's down from 57% in 2019 to 50% in 2025. All indications are that alcohol consumption will continue to decline in the future among young adults, a primary target market for most location-based entertainment centers (LBEs). This means a good selection of non-alcoholic specialty drinks, including mocktails, will becoming increasingly important to attract sober curious young adults and to maintain drinks' profitability.

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