Killing It In My Sixties

The town where I live in Northern California, recently made the headlines by earning the title of “drunkest city in California”, according to a new study by 24/7WallSt. Is this something to brag about, given our reputation for world-class wines, craft distilleres, and award-winning breweries? Or is it a tragic fact that needs to be addressed?

It used to be that by the end of one of our parties, empty liquor, wine and beer bottles filled the recycling bins as evidence of a good time had by all.  The following morning consisted of large pots of coffee, ibuprofen, and some electrolytes followed by a greasy hangover breakfast.  Often there was some talk of needing to cut back on drinking in the future.  

It appears that time is now – at our recent celebration, there were as many non-alcohol drinkers as there were consumers. And the really interesting part was that it wasn’t any less of a party than it would have been in the past.  The intensity of the laughter, the energy of the dancing, the lateness of the party ending – were all equal to or better than when it was a full alcohol guest list.

What has brought about this change in direction, and is it just in my circle of friends? Why am I receiving multiple ads for non or low alcohol beverages? Just because I clicked on one of their NA beverage ads? I did some internet hunting to check out my hunches. Apparently it’s not just me; according to Harvard Health, alcohol consumption started trending down in late 2021, and was in full decline by the end of 2022. By the end of this year 2023 – the consumption of alcoholic beverages is thought to be down by an estimated 10-33%.

While it does NOT appear that another Prohibition is on the horizon, it does seem that overall social and health consciousness in adults is on the rise. Once cannabis and its derivatives became legal in California, it was only a matter of time before the market exploded with new consumable products such as edibles, elixirs and innovative beverages. The promise of a calm, somewhat floaty-feeling, and hangover-free experience – is very appealing to me and it appears – many others as well.

My non-scientific observation of the cause for the decline in alcohol consumption, is mostly for health reasons. Yes – we’ve been told for years, that high alcohol intake contributes to hypertension, fatty liver, high cholesterol, breast cancer, diabetes and heart disease, to name a few. But we were also told for many years, that smoking kills people and yet – it still took a very long time for the consumption of nicotine to decline, despite the scientific evidence of harm. As a society, we are somewhat slow on the uptake with regards to health dangers.

Personally, my decision to decrease my alcohol intake had to do with my declining ability to recover from drinking as I get older. I noticed that my mental clarity, memory and anxiety levels were increasingly altered to a noticeable degree. Gone are the days when I could bounce back from a few drinks by the next afternoon – nowadays – I feel the effects until the next Wednesday! And that’s with only 2-3 drinks! In talking with friends and family who have also decided to eliminate or decrease their alcohol consumption, their reasons are generally related to overall health and well being. Yes – it does feel good to have a giggly buzz from their beverage – but no hangover feels ten times better!

The biggest obstacle to overcome with regards to reducing or stopping drinking, in my experience, has been social acceptance and support. Or more specifically the lack thereof. Even at my age – there is peer pressure around my choices. It is not an easy topic to address – especially in the company of those who are consuming alcohol. It’s strange – we don’t ask people why they are drinking – instead -we ask them why they are not drinking?! On occasion I will go so far as to fake having a drink – just so the awkwardness is not an issue. It does feel like people who are drinking alcohol are uncomfortable around people who have chosen NOT to. Its an interesting juxtaposition.

To date, I have not given up alcohol entirely. I enjoy the occasional glass of wine, or a champagne toast.  I like food and wine pairing, an ice cold microbrew with pizza, or a small glass of my favorite liqueur in the evening.  But I do choose to not drink on work nights, and I stop after 2 drinks and switch to water.  Sleeping better, waking up better, feeling better, working better – all feel so much better than that third drink.

The choice is individual – always – but it’s really reassuring that consumers have some options to drink socially without alcohol necessarily. For example – cannabis-based beverages, adaptogen cocktails, and tinctures used as bitters to name a few. Bars and restaurants are rising to the challenge with beautiful creative mock-tails, and low-alcohol spritzers. Alternatives are there – overcoming the social aspects may be the biggest challenge yet.

What ever floats your olive – “Cheers to your health and happiness”.