Why Gen Z Is Cutting Back on Drinking

Rumors of a "dry generation" are overstated, The New York Times reports. But, it says, young people definitely are drinking less. Why?

It's not that they have switched to cannabis? There hasn't been enough uptake in cannabis to accou0nt for the alcohol decline. Nor, to a large extent, to antialcohol propaganda, although the message certainly has made an impact.

The No. 1 reason why young people think drinking has declined: the high cost of a night out:

• In Washington, DC, cocktails are priced at $16 to $20 a bars. One young adult told the Times. Most don't have the budget for more than a few drinks per weekend.
• Cover charges topping $20.
• The additional cost of an Uber to get home safely, especially where public transportation is not readily available.

Also: Everyone carries a recording device everywhere they go. "A single drunken outburst can easily become a part of one’s online footprint forever," a 23-year-old auto detailer said. “People don’t want to get blacked out in public — that’s a scary thing now.”