Only 54% of U.S. adults say they drink alcohol, a record low. A new poll shows what's behind the decline.

Part of it has to be that it's fucking expensive. I know it's not exactly a one to one comparison but I live in a legal recreational state. It's 25$ (including tax) for a 1G vape. that's a lot less than that amount to get equivalently intoxicated with alcohol.

Where we are, a pint of craft beer is now accepted to be $9-$11. That might have something to do with it.

Earlier this year, the outgoing U.S. surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, recommended a label on bottles of beer, wine and liquor that would clearly outline the link between alcohol consumption and cancer.

"Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. — yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk," Murthy said in a statement in January.

The federal government's current dietary guidelines recommend Americans not drink or, if they do consume alcohol, men should limit themselves to two drinks a day or fewer while women should stick to one or fewer.

The price of drinks at a restaurant isn't worth it. They never have been, but they've gotten ridiculous (along with all the prices for food). If I go to a pub/bar, the cost is better, but someone still expects a tip because they opened a bottle or used the tap. Home is cheaper still, but like, it's still expensive for something that's not food.

And honestly, I'd rather take some edibles, watch a comedy, and laugh my brains out. I'll be back to normal pretty quickly compared to drinking. I run far less risk of injury. And it just costs less.

Everyone has rightly pointed out that it's super expensive, but to many, drinking beer is a social activity done in the company of friends. Worldwide, we are lonelier than ever and rarely venture beyond our keyboards in our rooms, hyperbolically speaking.

As others have noted, there are many contributing factors.

• Increased cost
• Availability of cheaper alternatives (like weed)
• Increased awareness of deleterious health effects, especially among young people.
• Increased interest in healthy living, driven by instagram influencers with six packs.