Is America Switching from Booze to Weed? Archives - Freakonomics

These developments are being driven by a few key factors, including health, wealth, weed, and the acceptance of being sober-ish.

• Between 2015 and 2018, US alcohol consumption declined three straight years, with beer consumption down five consecutive years.

“People aren’t looking to get wasted anymore — they are health conscious and they care about their image. They don’t want to be that drunk person on Instagram; they don’t want the calories or the hangover. They’re looking for what I’m looking for.”