Tennessee Drinking Rates Rise Unexpectedly
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Alcohol use in the United States is falling, but not in Tennessee.
A new report from food and beverage software company Trace One, using data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), shows that just 52.3% of American adults reported drinking alcohol in 2023, a nearly 90-year low.
That’s down from 56.7% in 2014, representing nearly two million fewer people consuming alcohol compared with a decade ago.
Driving the shift are concerns about health risks, cultural changes in socializing, and the rapid growth of alcohol alternatives.
Google Trends data shows that searches for non-alcoholic beer, mocktail recipes, and zero-proof cocktails have surged in recent years.
Beverage companies are responding by rolling out new product lines to meet demand.
But Tennessee is bucking the national trend. In 2013, just 41.6% of adults in the state reported drinking.
By 2023, that figure had jumped to 48.5%, the largest increase of any state and Tennessee’s highest level on record.
Nationally, northern states such as Vermont, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin reported the highest drinking rates, while states like Utah, Mississippi, and West Virginia recorded the lowest.
Experts say public health campaigns, cannabis legalization, and shifting cultural attitudes are all shaping these trends, though
Tennessee stands out as the only state moving in the opposite direction.
