Fewer Canadians and Americans Are Boozing — Is Happy Hour Losing Its Happy? 🍹🚫

These days, if you ask someone to “grab a drink,” don’t be surprised if they show up with a green smoothie.

A new Gallup poll shows alcohol consumption in Canada has hit a record low — only 54% of Canadians say they sometimes have a drink.

That’s the lowest number since Gallup started tracking it back in 1939. For comparison, the old record low was 55% in 1958.

Statistics Canada reports the biggest drop in alcohol sales since they began tracking in 1949. On average, Canadians of legal drinking age bought the equivalent of 8.7 standard drinks a week in 2023–2024, down from 9.2 the year before.

That works out to about two-ish drinks a day — though of course, your aunt’s holiday eggnog doesn’t count. (It’s basically milk, right?)

RELATED: 4 Questions That May Reveal If You Have an Alcohol Problem

The Trend South of the Border

Americans are also cutting back. In 2022, 67% said they drank, but that number has been steadily sliding since the pandemic.

Why? For one thing, more people now see drinking — even in moderation — as a health risk. In fact, 53% of Americans say moderate drinking is bad for your health, up from just 28% ten years ago.

Canadians are catching on too, with more of us questioning the idea that “a glass of wine a day” is good for you.

The Bottom Line

Whether it’s for health reasons, lifestyle changes, or just a shift in social habits, booze is losing some of its cultural stronghold. So if you’re planning a night out, maybe check if your friends mean “happy hour” or “hot yoga.”