November 2, 2025 • 20 mins
So far this year, Americans are drinking less than we have in nearly 3 decades! Do you know who is drinking less… men or women, republicans or democrats, the haves or the have nots? Amy and T.J. go over the latest numbers and the current government guidelines for alcohol consumption, which may be changing as soon as the end of the year. They also discuss the big change they’ve made to their weekly routine that has significantly improved their health.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, there are folks. It is Sunday, November second, and
did you just wrap up a Sober October. Well, even
if you didn't participate in Sober October, there's a really
good chance you have cut back on your alcohol intake
because Americans are doing it in record numbers. And with that,
(00:23):
welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. What a
positive health alert. Right, this is huge. But we are
not drinking as much as we you too.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
It's true, and this has been something that a lot
of folks have been pointing to.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
The messaging has changed.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
We had been hearing a lot of us of a
certain age for most of our lives that moderate drinking
there actually were health benefits to certain types of alcohol.
It wasn't demonized in the way it's been in the
last several years. We have heard on equivocally from doctors,
from researchers who say higher drinking the leads to higher
(01:01):
rates of cancer. It certainly does not improve your health
in a way that benefits you. So basically, we heard
no amount of drinking is healthy for the first time
really in a concentrated way in the past few years,
and that messaging is sinking in.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah, it really is how much of it has to
do with people having alternatives right now? Who knows, But
for whatever reason, the numbers are bearing it out that somebody,
something is working and some messaging is getting through because
folks are not drinking as much to the tune of
(01:41):
some of the lowest rates we've seen in decades, some
thirty plus years in this country.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yes, lowest numbers in three decades, the percentage of US
adults who admit to drinking alcohol. And we're at the
highest number ever in history of Americans who believe that
even moderate alcohol consumption is a health risk.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Those are two really good things.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
We have the lowest number and the highest number, and
they're going in the right direction, respectively.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I don't how are they explaining this?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
So they think that what they're saying now is sinking in.
And they're also saying a lot of what's driving this
are younger Americans, younger kids who are now of drinking age,
have been hearing since they can remember how dangerous alcohol is.
They also some will point to have the alternative of
legalized marijuana, which they consider to be a safer or
(02:31):
a better alternative to alcohols.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
So do doctors right, Yes.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
So between those two things. They're attributing a lot of
these numbers. But even us older folks, it is sinking in.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And they broke this down.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
This Gallop poll for twenty twenty five broke down how
and who is consuming what and how often in a
really interesting way. So we're at the lowest point in
three decades. Just fifty four percent of US adults report
drinking alcohol.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Remarkable, and by the way.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
In twenty twenty two that percentage was sixty seven percent.
In twenty twenty three, d it's sixty two percent. Last
year it was fifty eight percent, and this year fifty
four percent. That is significant. And so this is among
the lowest number ever reported since the question was first
(03:22):
asked in nineteen thirty nine. Wowep, And here's something else interesting.
Guess what the period was the just give me like
a year period for the highest reported drinking percentage.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Among US adults highest.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, what were the years where you Americans admitted to
drinking the most?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Thirty nine, nineteen thirty nine, twenty twenty. Going back, I'm
thinking about historical YEP times, Actually, what do you have.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
You're not You're not close.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
So they're the period of highest reported drinking was between
the years of nineteen seventy four and nineteen eighty one,
where anywhere between sixty eight and seventy one percent.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Of Americans were regularly drinking.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
What you're again, seventy four to eighty one, right when
we you and I were kind of in our prime.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Well yes, I mean I was one when that started.
You were in elementary school.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
But just think about that, we were surrounded by advertisements, adults,
people who were heavily drinking and not concerned about it.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Wow, the highest rates of alcohol consumption were right around
the time you and I entered the world.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Yes, indeed.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
And also here's another interesting fact about what's happening this year.
In this latest poll, even among those who do drink alcohol,
everyone reports drinking less. They're more aware, they're acknowledging the
health risks, and you and I fall into that category.
We've done dry genuine I've done it once. I've done
(05:01):
a damp January, and we definitely acknowledged when we were
in a stressful year that we went in the other direction.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So we've corrected.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
However, interestingly, we had a good conversation with my brother
who's a physician, in early October, and we.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Made a big decision. We made a change a shift.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Oh that was my cue. Yes, I'm sorry, I was
taking a sip in my drink.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Of water.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
No, it's it's interesting. And it was on that trip
we heard from uh. I think we made a bunch
of health decisions after that. We just got exposed with
some folks who hadn't seen it in a while and
got help on running and injury and nausea. We came back.
But yeah, one of the things we heard, ye, yes,
your brother, who's certainly a drinker, but he say, yeah
(05:54):
it is, don't even who, and a physician as well.
He was like, yeah, there's no there's no upside to it.
So he just decided to drink during the week Yeah,
like yourself out party on the weekend. But just it's
just a matter of moderation and that's a pretty good
plan and if you stick to that, it's really easy
to do. And we've gotten into that habit now.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
So yeah, we came back from that trip to go
see Georgia play and hung with my brother and we said,
you know what, we're going to give it a try,
and we have really liked it. It's kind of nice
when you give yourself a specific limitation and just say hey,
on the weekends, I'll drink, you know, in moderation.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
On the weekdays, I don't need to.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Yes, if there's a special occasion, yes, If there is
a one off of this, I'm not going to say
oh no.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
But it does make for.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Intentional and purposeful drinking, which I think has helped a lot.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Like I have loved it.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
I can't imagine going back, honestly to the way we were.
So that's been a cool change that we've made. But
there's a big I know it's not going to be
surprising to anyone. Men versus women. The decline in drinking
has been more pronounced among women. So women are down
a lie eleven percentage points just from twenty twenty three,
(07:03):
So fifty one percent of women report drinking. Men are
down five percentage points from twenty twenty three, so fifty
seven percent of men say they're drinking. Well, still dropping,
still dropping, still dropping, So that's good, just not dropping
as quickly. Republicans versus Democrats, what do you think in
this year's.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Poll, who drinks more Republicans or Democrats. I think Republicans
might admit it.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
That's hilarious. Okay, so Republicans.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Drinking among Republicans is at forty six percent, drinking among
Democrats sixty one percent.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Boy, so for pole taken like so twenty twenty five
in July. In July of this.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Year, Oh you sure it wasn't thinking like November twenty four.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
But here's something really interesting.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
For whatever reason, they say there was a sharp drop
in reported drinking among Republicans, falling nineteen points to forty
six percent. They say Democrats held steady at sixty one percent.
So who knows flip self reporting?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
It's Republicans who didn't want to report it. Okay, I
had it flipped so hard. There's not a nineteen percent drop.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
In that's shocking, right, right.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
So why would the what in the world happened?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Okay, how about white people versus people of color this
year in twenty twenty five, that's the percent who drinks
more white.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
People are people of color?
Speaker 1 (08:21):
People of color?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
You're wrong, White people fifty six percent, people of color
fifty two percent. Again, this is people who admit that
they drink regularly. That's always important.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
You're gonna call us for a pole, of course, we're
gonna lie to you. I don't know who's on the phone.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
And of course, as my brother, my favorite anecdote here
tell me is that whatever you tell your doctor how
many drinks you have a week, they automatically double it
because they know everybody's lying.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
So this poll should be taken with a grain of salt.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
How about this, people who make less than forty thousand
dollars a year versus people who make more than one
hundred thousand dollars a year.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
This was the biggest disparity.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Uh, the the under forty drinkers forty thousand do what
do more of the drinking?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
You're wrong, less than forty thousand, thirty nine percent, more
than one hundred thousand, sixty six.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
It just can't afford to drink, That's what it would
seem to be. That's exactly what it would appear to be.
Or they're working so much they don't have time to drink.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I mean, it could be a lot of things, right
when you're in that situation.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
This is so interesting. So we're at a record high.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I mentioned fifty three percent of US adults now say
moderate drinking is bad for health. That is up from
twenty eight percent who believed that.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Just ten years ago.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
That speaks to the fact that the messaging is worse
Today's number. I'm sorry, fifty three percent of US adults
now say hey, yes, we admit even moderate drinking is
bad for you. Only twenty eight percent of people said
that or believed that in twenty fifteen.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
That's kind of crazy, right.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
We still get studies every once in a while to
tell you that red wine is good for you.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Yes, And that was what was complicating things. They said
that we were getting enough of a reason to somehow
convince ourselves that it was not just okay to drink,
but good to actually have a glass of red wine.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Correct. So, anyway, that was really interesting is hydrating?
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Do you have that information in there as well?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
You love to say that. So do you know what
the current government recommendations are?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Did they cut them? Are they new? How about this?
Have they been updated in recent months?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
They're expected to be soon, but they are not as
of right now. So do you know what the current
government recommendations are for drinking?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
The limits are two a day for man, one a
day for women.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
You are absolutely correct.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
So the federal government's current dietary guidelines recommend that Americans
if they consume alcohol, Men should limit themselves to two
drinks a day or fewer, and women should stick to
one drink a day or fewer. Okay, So it was
a big problem with that, yes, and that is considered
moderate drinking.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Correct.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
So the outgoing US Surgeon General for VC Murphy, we
know him, we love him. Earlier this year he is
recommending putting a label on beer, wine liquor that would
clearly outline the link between drinking alcohol and cancer.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
And that has not happened. But certainly he was asking
that happened.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
And there are a lot of folks who say, look
at this study and what's even happened with the messaging?
And people do change their habits when the government changes
their recommendations or puts a warning label on something.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
You really think that warning label is going to make
it onto a bottle of tetoes exactly?
Speaker 4 (11:34):
All right.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
So here's the interesting thing.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
The government is expected to release new guidelines regarding alcohol
by the end of the year. Don't know if it's
going to happen, but that is what has been promised
under the directive of RFK Junior. He has promised big changes,
but he has not hinted on how the alcohol recommendations
(11:58):
may shift. We don't know which direction he's going to
take them in.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
But people have taken an issue with these recommendations forever.
Because you say two drinks, what is two drinks? Because
one bottle of beer you consider one drink. They also
consider one margarita one drink. But a margarita is made
up of two shots if it's done directly at least right.
So it's that they're a mess. I don't know what
(12:23):
recommendations they can come out. All you can really say
is drink less alcohol. You can't put a number on it.
Because of my body and your body, we patabolize alcohol.
All kinds of things are different.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
And perhaps with the guidelines, if they said there is
no safe amount of alcohol.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
That's there, you go, that's on.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
And we know that, don't we.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
And we know that this worked with cigarettes, We know
that this worked with tobacco. Clearly, when you don't just
make Americans aware of it, but remind them and almost
constantly barrage them with the messaging, hey, this could kill you,
this will likely end your life or severely lessen your life,
(13:03):
or lower the quality of your life. And when that
messaging just is constant, people change their habits.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
That's been proven.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
All Right, do you know what the most popular alcoholic
beverage was in twenty twenty five?
Speaker 1 (13:18):
The most popular? Like you're talking about beer or wine
or something or.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Yep, between beer, liquor or.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Wine liquor liquor to go with beer?
Speaker 3 (13:28):
All right, we'll tell you if TJ's right when we
come back.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
All right, folks, we are back. We left it with
a cliffhanger. That's old school. That was a tease, right,
ask a question, wait for the answer. Was he right?
We'll tell you right after the break. So I hope
you stuck around for it. I had nothing to do
with that. Okay, by the way, folks, and I still
don't know the answer. What was the most popular you said, beverage?
Alcoholic beverage in twenty twenty five? So far? Yes, between beer, wine,
(14:05):
and liquor. Yeah, you said, I went with beer.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
You went with beer. How would you order it?
Speaker 1 (14:11):
How would I order beer?
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Like?
Speaker 2 (14:12):
No, that was a fair follow up, how would you
order frosty glass beer? Like? If you had to rank
the beer, wine, liquor, how would you rank it?
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Man? You said that you asked that question, really strangely,
how would you order it?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
How would you rank?
Speaker 1 (14:30):
I know what you say? Yeah, okay, wait is the
first one, right though?
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Yes, you are correct?
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Okay, correct on beer after that? This is America. So
let's go with liquor after that, and then wine, ding
ding ding ning ning.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
But here's the funny thing. So that's twenty twenty five.
When you asked.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
When they asked folks, what's your favorite type of alcohol
to order, thirty eight percent said beer, thirty percent said liquor,
and twenty nine percent said wine.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Now you close there.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
In ninety yes, in nineteen ninety two, forty seven percent
of Americans said beer, twenty seven percent said wine, and
only twenty one percent said liquor.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
That was interesting to you. That was nineteen ninety.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Two, ninety two, so.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Like thirty years ago, give or take.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yeah, I was just coming into my drinking era.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
And yes, exactly, nineteen ninety two was my freshman year
in college.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Yes, so, oh, that wasn't my drinking I was still
in elementary school with that.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
That's not true. You were in high school. Let's just
be honest, all.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Right, this won't be shocking, But there were some big
gender differences in terms of who likes what.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
All right, obviously I shouldn't.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
Say obviously, oh you shouldn't see.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Okay, fine, but turns out, yes, men far more likely
than women reach for a beer, So fifty two percent
prefer beer versus twenty three percent of.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Women prefer beer.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Prefer it. Yes, hey, that's a special group of women.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Twenty three percent.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
That was me in college. One hundred percent. That's not
only was do I actually like the taste of beer?
Speaker 4 (16:03):
It was the cheapest option, and she's frugal.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Really, you find jeans, t shirt and can belly up
to the bar and have a draft beer and watch
a college football game. You just you hold on to
that woman.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, well I see while you fallen in love with me.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Because check, check and check. All right, women were more
likely than men to choose wine.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
This is hilarious. Forty four percent to fourteen percent. Come
only fourteen percent of men chose wine first seeing.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Their number one choice. Okay, maybe that reads okay, that
makes sense. Number one.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
That's why when we said, shibli the driest you have
that was hilarious line in a movie American History.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
We Died last.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
We have to go back and watch.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Yes, all right, and then men and women are equally
likely to opt for liquor. Twenty nine percent of men
will choose liquor first and thirty two percent of women will.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Choose liquor first.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
I thought those were some interesting differences the beer and
the wine.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Maybe not that shocking.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Great generally speaking, your first option for a drink is
what wine?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Really? I know it depends on the setting, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
And honestly, the only reason why this is so embarrassing
in me to admit that I wouldn't have said beer
is the carbs. I just don't want that heavy beer
belly carb fuel. But I love the way it tastes.
I mean, if I could, if nothing else mattered, pick
my first drink, I'd pick a beer and then I'd
move on from there.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
This is it's so difficult. That's what I asked. What
would your first drink be? What would it be? What
do you want to drink?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Yeah, if it was if nothing else mattered, I would
pick a cold.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Beer if nothing else mattered.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
In the world as in carbs. Okay, yes, how about you.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I don't know, I have to give it more thoughts.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
But yes, and we did kind of hint at this,
but cannabis use in the US obviously has significantly increased
over the last couple of years, particularly among the eighteen
to twenty nine year olds who have now in the
same I saw a similar study saying that fifty percent
of kids between the age of eighteen and twenty nine
(18:19):
report using cannabis regularly fifteen fifty five zero fifty percent
of folks ages eighteen to twenty nine reported using regularly cannabis.
That is a huge shift and absolutely has had to
have had an impact on some of these thankfully declining
(18:41):
alcohol numbers, but they're also clearly looking for another way
to unwind or escape.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Is it a cheaper than liquor.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
It's cheaper than liquor.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
It doesn't have the same health implications so far as
we know them. And people feel like, you know, you
can microdose, you can function. You start drinking on the job,
you're gonna get fired, right you have something on your
smoke break or a little gummy or what little weed water?
Who's gonna know it's a you know, you can function
(19:13):
in a way. I think some folks think then you
could never if you had been drinking.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Get any other alarming statistics over there, no, you get
no more quizzes.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Were done with my statistics and my quizzes. So there
is some good news and there is some news to
still be studied.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Perhaps I don't know what I feel like making a
drink now all this talk. I think I'm going for Manhattan. So, folks,
we always appreciate you spending some time with us. And look,
we should give a shout out to the folks today
running the New York City Marathon. We weren't able to
(19:52):
do it this year for a variety of reasons we
won't get into right now, but we are having some
serious fauxmo yes right about now. But man, that beer
at the end of that marathon is maybe the best.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
The best beer ever.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Absolutely all right, folks, always appreciate your hanging with us
for now on d J. Holmes on behalf of Amy Robot.
We'll talk to y all soon, yeah, h
Hey, there are folks. It is Sunday, November second, and
did you just wrap up a Sober October. Well, even
if you didn't participate in Sober October, there's a really
good chance you have cut back on your alcohol intake
because Americans are doing it in record numbers. And with that,
(00:23):
welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. What a
positive health alert. Right, this is huge. But we are
not drinking as much as we you too.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
It's true, and this has been something that a lot
of folks have been pointing to.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
The messaging has changed.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
We had been hearing a lot of us of a
certain age for most of our lives that moderate drinking
there actually were health benefits to certain types of alcohol.
It wasn't demonized in the way it's been in the
last several years. We have heard on equivocally from doctors,
from researchers who say higher drinking the leads to higher
(01:01):
rates of cancer. It certainly does not improve your health
in a way that benefits you. So basically, we heard
no amount of drinking is healthy for the first time
really in a concentrated way in the past few years,
and that messaging is sinking in.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah, it really is how much of it has to
do with people having alternatives right now? Who knows, But
for whatever reason, the numbers are bearing it out that somebody,
something is working and some messaging is getting through because
folks are not drinking as much to the tune of
(01:41):
some of the lowest rates we've seen in decades, some
thirty plus years in this country.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yes, lowest numbers in three decades, the percentage of US
adults who admit to drinking alcohol. And we're at the
highest number ever in history of Americans who believe that
even moderate alcohol consumption is a health risk.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Those are two really good things.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
We have the lowest number and the highest number, and
they're going in the right direction, respectively.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I don't how are they explaining this?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
So they think that what they're saying now is sinking in.
And they're also saying a lot of what's driving this
are younger Americans, younger kids who are now of drinking age,
have been hearing since they can remember how dangerous alcohol is.
They also some will point to have the alternative of
legalized marijuana, which they consider to be a safer or
(02:31):
a better alternative to alcohols.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
So do doctors right, Yes.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
So between those two things. They're attributing a lot of
these numbers. But even us older folks, it is sinking in.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And they broke this down.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
This Gallop poll for twenty twenty five broke down how
and who is consuming what and how often in a
really interesting way. So we're at the lowest point in
three decades. Just fifty four percent of US adults report
drinking alcohol.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Remarkable, and by the way.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
In twenty twenty two that percentage was sixty seven percent.
In twenty twenty three, d it's sixty two percent. Last
year it was fifty eight percent, and this year fifty
four percent. That is significant. And so this is among
the lowest number ever reported since the question was first
(03:22):
asked in nineteen thirty nine. Wowep, And here's something else interesting.
Guess what the period was the just give me like
a year period for the highest reported drinking percentage.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Among US adults highest.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, what were the years where you Americans admitted to
drinking the most?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Thirty nine, nineteen thirty nine, twenty twenty. Going back, I'm
thinking about historical YEP times, Actually, what do you have.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
You're not You're not close.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
So they're the period of highest reported drinking was between
the years of nineteen seventy four and nineteen eighty one,
where anywhere between sixty eight and seventy one percent.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Of Americans were regularly drinking.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
What you're again, seventy four to eighty one, right when
we you and I were kind of in our prime.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Well yes, I mean I was one when that started.
You were in elementary school.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
But just think about that, we were surrounded by advertisements, adults,
people who were heavily drinking and not concerned about it.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Wow, the highest rates of alcohol consumption were right around
the time you and I entered the world.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Yes, indeed.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
And also here's another interesting fact about what's happening this year.
In this latest poll, even among those who do drink alcohol,
everyone reports drinking less. They're more aware, they're acknowledging the
health risks, and you and I fall into that category.
We've done dry genuine I've done it once. I've done
(05:01):
a damp January, and we definitely acknowledged when we were
in a stressful year that we went in the other direction.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So we've corrected.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
However, interestingly, we had a good conversation with my brother
who's a physician, in early October, and we.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Made a big decision. We made a change a shift.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Oh that was my cue. Yes, I'm sorry, I was
taking a sip in my drink.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Of water.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
No, it's it's interesting. And it was on that trip
we heard from uh. I think we made a bunch
of health decisions after that. We just got exposed with
some folks who hadn't seen it in a while and
got help on running and injury and nausea. We came back.
But yeah, one of the things we heard, ye, yes,
your brother, who's certainly a drinker, but he say, yeah
(05:54):
it is, don't even who, and a physician as well.
He was like, yeah, there's no there's no upside to it.
So he just decided to drink during the week Yeah,
like yourself out party on the weekend. But just it's
just a matter of moderation and that's a pretty good
plan and if you stick to that, it's really easy
to do. And we've gotten into that habit now.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
So yeah, we came back from that trip to go
see Georgia play and hung with my brother and we said,
you know what, we're going to give it a try,
and we have really liked it. It's kind of nice
when you give yourself a specific limitation and just say hey,
on the weekends, I'll drink, you know, in moderation.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
On the weekdays, I don't need to.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Yes, if there's a special occasion, yes, If there is
a one off of this, I'm not going to say
oh no.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
But it does make for.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Intentional and purposeful drinking, which I think has helped a lot.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Like I have loved it.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
I can't imagine going back, honestly to the way we were.
So that's been a cool change that we've made. But
there's a big I know it's not going to be
surprising to anyone. Men versus women. The decline in drinking
has been more pronounced among women. So women are down
a lie eleven percentage points just from twenty twenty three,
(07:03):
So fifty one percent of women report drinking. Men are
down five percentage points from twenty twenty three, so fifty
seven percent of men say they're drinking. Well, still dropping,
still dropping, still dropping, So that's good, just not dropping
as quickly. Republicans versus Democrats, what do you think in
this year's.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Poll, who drinks more Republicans or Democrats. I think Republicans
might admit it.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
That's hilarious. Okay, so Republicans.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Drinking among Republicans is at forty six percent, drinking among
Democrats sixty one percent.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Boy, so for pole taken like so twenty twenty five
in July. In July of this.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Year, Oh you sure it wasn't thinking like November twenty four.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
But here's something really interesting.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
For whatever reason, they say there was a sharp drop
in reported drinking among Republicans, falling nineteen points to forty
six percent. They say Democrats held steady at sixty one percent.
So who knows flip self reporting?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
It's Republicans who didn't want to report it. Okay, I
had it flipped so hard. There's not a nineteen percent drop.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
In that's shocking, right, right.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
So why would the what in the world happened?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Okay, how about white people versus people of color this
year in twenty twenty five, that's the percent who drinks
more white.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
People are people of color?
Speaker 1 (08:21):
People of color?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
You're wrong, White people fifty six percent, people of color
fifty two percent. Again, this is people who admit that
they drink regularly. That's always important.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
You're gonna call us for a pole, of course, we're
gonna lie to you. I don't know who's on the phone.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
And of course, as my brother, my favorite anecdote here
tell me is that whatever you tell your doctor how
many drinks you have a week, they automatically double it
because they know everybody's lying.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
So this poll should be taken with a grain of salt.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
How about this, people who make less than forty thousand
dollars a year versus people who make more than one
hundred thousand dollars a year.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
This was the biggest disparity.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Uh, the the under forty drinkers forty thousand do what
do more of the drinking?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
You're wrong, less than forty thousand, thirty nine percent, more
than one hundred thousand, sixty six.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
It just can't afford to drink, That's what it would
seem to be. That's exactly what it would appear to be.
Or they're working so much they don't have time to drink.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I mean, it could be a lot of things, right
when you're in that situation.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
This is so interesting. So we're at a record high.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I mentioned fifty three percent of US adults now say
moderate drinking is bad for health. That is up from
twenty eight percent who believed that.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Just ten years ago.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
That speaks to the fact that the messaging is worse
Today's number. I'm sorry, fifty three percent of US adults
now say hey, yes, we admit even moderate drinking is
bad for you. Only twenty eight percent of people said
that or believed that in twenty fifteen.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
That's kind of crazy, right.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
We still get studies every once in a while to
tell you that red wine is good for you.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Yes, And that was what was complicating things. They said
that we were getting enough of a reason to somehow
convince ourselves that it was not just okay to drink,
but good to actually have a glass of red wine.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Correct. So, anyway, that was really interesting is hydrating?
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Do you have that information in there as well?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
You love to say that. So do you know what
the current government recommendations are?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Did they cut them? Are they new? How about this?
Have they been updated in recent months?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
They're expected to be soon, but they are not as
of right now. So do you know what the current
government recommendations are for drinking?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
The limits are two a day for man, one a
day for women.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
You are absolutely correct.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
So the federal government's current dietary guidelines recommend that Americans
if they consume alcohol, Men should limit themselves to two
drinks a day or fewer, and women should stick to
one drink a day or fewer. Okay, So it was
a big problem with that, yes, and that is considered
moderate drinking.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Correct.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
So the outgoing US Surgeon General for VC Murphy, we
know him, we love him. Earlier this year he is
recommending putting a label on beer, wine liquor that would
clearly outline the link between drinking alcohol and cancer.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
And that has not happened. But certainly he was asking
that happened.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
And there are a lot of folks who say, look
at this study and what's even happened with the messaging?
And people do change their habits when the government changes
their recommendations or puts a warning label on something.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
You really think that warning label is going to make
it onto a bottle of tetoes exactly?
Speaker 4 (11:34):
All right.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
So here's the interesting thing.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
The government is expected to release new guidelines regarding alcohol
by the end of the year. Don't know if it's
going to happen, but that is what has been promised
under the directive of RFK Junior. He has promised big changes,
but he has not hinted on how the alcohol recommendations
(11:58):
may shift. We don't know which direction he's going to
take them in.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
But people have taken an issue with these recommendations forever.
Because you say two drinks, what is two drinks? Because
one bottle of beer you consider one drink. They also
consider one margarita one drink. But a margarita is made
up of two shots if it's done directly at least right.
So it's that they're a mess. I don't know what
(12:23):
recommendations they can come out. All you can really say
is drink less alcohol. You can't put a number on it.
Because of my body and your body, we patabolize alcohol.
All kinds of things are different.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
And perhaps with the guidelines, if they said there is
no safe amount of alcohol.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
That's there, you go, that's on.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
And we know that, don't we.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
And we know that this worked with cigarettes, We know
that this worked with tobacco. Clearly, when you don't just
make Americans aware of it, but remind them and almost
constantly barrage them with the messaging, hey, this could kill you,
this will likely end your life or severely lessen your life,
(13:03):
or lower the quality of your life. And when that
messaging just is constant, people change their habits.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
That's been proven.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
All Right, do you know what the most popular alcoholic
beverage was in twenty twenty five?
Speaker 1 (13:18):
The most popular? Like you're talking about beer or wine
or something or.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Yep, between beer, liquor or.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Wine liquor liquor to go with beer?
Speaker 3 (13:28):
All right, we'll tell you if TJ's right when we
come back.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
All right, folks, we are back. We left it with
a cliffhanger. That's old school. That was a tease, right,
ask a question, wait for the answer. Was he right?
We'll tell you right after the break. So I hope
you stuck around for it. I had nothing to do
with that. Okay, by the way, folks, and I still
don't know the answer. What was the most popular you said, beverage?
Alcoholic beverage in twenty twenty five? So far? Yes, between beer, wine,
(14:05):
and liquor. Yeah, you said, I went with beer.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
You went with beer. How would you order it?
Speaker 1 (14:11):
How would I order beer?
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Like?
Speaker 2 (14:12):
No, that was a fair follow up, how would you
order frosty glass beer? Like? If you had to rank
the beer, wine, liquor, how would you rank it?
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Man? You said that you asked that question, really strangely,
how would you order it?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
How would you rank?
Speaker 1 (14:30):
I know what you say? Yeah, okay, wait is the
first one, right though?
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Yes, you are correct?
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Okay, correct on beer after that? This is America. So
let's go with liquor after that, and then wine, ding
ding ding ning ning.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
But here's the funny thing. So that's twenty twenty five.
When you asked.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
When they asked folks, what's your favorite type of alcohol
to order, thirty eight percent said beer, thirty percent said liquor,
and twenty nine percent said wine.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Now you close there.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
In ninety yes, in nineteen ninety two, forty seven percent
of Americans said beer, twenty seven percent said wine, and
only twenty one percent said liquor.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
That was interesting to you. That was nineteen ninety.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Two, ninety two, so.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Like thirty years ago, give or take.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yeah, I was just coming into my drinking era.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
And yes, exactly, nineteen ninety two was my freshman year
in college.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Yes, so, oh, that wasn't my drinking I was still
in elementary school with that.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
That's not true. You were in high school. Let's just
be honest, all.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Right, this won't be shocking, But there were some big
gender differences in terms of who likes what.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
All right, obviously I shouldn't.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
Say obviously, oh you shouldn't see.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Okay, fine, but turns out, yes, men far more likely
than women reach for a beer, So fifty two percent
prefer beer versus twenty three percent of.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Women prefer beer.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Prefer it. Yes, hey, that's a special group of women.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Twenty three percent.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
That was me in college. One hundred percent. That's not
only was do I actually like the taste of beer?
Speaker 4 (16:03):
It was the cheapest option, and she's frugal.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Really, you find jeans, t shirt and can belly up
to the bar and have a draft beer and watch
a college football game. You just you hold on to
that woman.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, well I see while you fallen in love with me.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Because check, check and check. All right, women were more
likely than men to choose wine.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
This is hilarious. Forty four percent to fourteen percent. Come
only fourteen percent of men chose wine first seeing.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Their number one choice. Okay, maybe that reads okay, that
makes sense. Number one.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
That's why when we said, shibli the driest you have
that was hilarious line in a movie American History.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
We Died last.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
We have to go back and watch.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Yes, all right, and then men and women are equally
likely to opt for liquor. Twenty nine percent of men
will choose liquor first and thirty two percent of women will.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Choose liquor first.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
I thought those were some interesting differences the beer and
the wine.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Maybe not that shocking.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Great generally speaking, your first option for a drink is
what wine?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Really? I know it depends on the setting, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
And honestly, the only reason why this is so embarrassing
in me to admit that I wouldn't have said beer
is the carbs. I just don't want that heavy beer
belly carb fuel. But I love the way it tastes.
I mean, if I could, if nothing else mattered, pick
my first drink, I'd pick a beer and then I'd
move on from there.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
This is it's so difficult. That's what I asked. What
would your first drink be? What would it be? What
do you want to drink?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Yeah, if it was if nothing else mattered, I would
pick a cold.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Beer if nothing else mattered.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
In the world as in carbs. Okay, yes, how about you.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I don't know, I have to give it more thoughts.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
But yes, and we did kind of hint at this,
but cannabis use in the US obviously has significantly increased
over the last couple of years, particularly among the eighteen
to twenty nine year olds who have now in the
same I saw a similar study saying that fifty percent
of kids between the age of eighteen and twenty nine
(18:19):
report using cannabis regularly fifteen fifty five zero fifty percent
of folks ages eighteen to twenty nine reported using regularly cannabis.
That is a huge shift and absolutely has had to
have had an impact on some of these thankfully declining
(18:41):
alcohol numbers, but they're also clearly looking for another way
to unwind or escape.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Is it a cheaper than liquor.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
It's cheaper than liquor.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
It doesn't have the same health implications so far as
we know them. And people feel like, you know, you
can microdose, you can function. You start drinking on the job,
you're gonna get fired, right you have something on your
smoke break or a little gummy or what little weed water?
Who's gonna know it's a you know, you can function
(19:13):
in a way. I think some folks think then you
could never if you had been drinking.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Get any other alarming statistics over there, no, you get
no more quizzes.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Were done with my statistics and my quizzes. So there
is some good news and there is some news to
still be studied.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Perhaps I don't know what I feel like making a
drink now all this talk. I think I'm going for Manhattan. So, folks,
we always appreciate you spending some time with us. And look,
we should give a shout out to the folks today
running the New York City Marathon. We weren't able to
(19:52):
do it this year for a variety of reasons we
won't get into right now, but we are having some
serious fauxmo yes right about now. But man, that beer
at the end of that marathon is maybe the best.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
The best beer ever.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Absolutely all right, folks, always appreciate your hanging with us
for now on d J. Holmes on behalf of Amy Robot.
We'll talk to y all soon, yeah, h
Hosts And Creators
Lauren Zima
Chris Harrison
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!