🏁 Axios Finish Line: We're drinking less

Plus: Longer kicks | Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Open in app View in browser     Axios Finish Line By Mike Allen, Erica Pandey and Jim VandeHei ·Oct 18, 2022 Oct 18, 2022 Welcome back. Reach us at finishline@axios.com. Smart Brevity™ count: 369 words ... 1½ mins.     1 big thing: A national dip in drinking Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   Americans are drinking less than they used to, Erica reports. By the numbers: The average number of drinks Americans consume in a week has been falling over the last several years — from 4.8 in 2009 to 3.6 in 2021, Gallup found. 60% of Americans say they drink, down from 65% in 2019, Gallup says. That may seem like a small change, but it encompasses a huge number of non-drinkers. Younger people are leading the charge. The share of college students who abstain from alcohol jumped from 20% to 28% between 2002 and 2018, according to a study in JAMA Pediatrics. Why it matters: Excessive drinking can bring devastating harm. Short-term effects include impaired judgement, risky behavior and injuries — including car crashes. Long-term effects range from cancer and heart disease to decreased cognitive function and mental health issues. Between the lines: One engine of this trend might be the rise of the "sober curious" movement. More and more young people are choosing to pursue sobriety for health and wellness, instead of due to dependency. Many more are limiting their alcohol consumption for the same reasons. With that comes the rise of hip, new non-alcoholic beverages. Sales of booze-free drinks skyrocketed 113% between 2020 and 2021, Nielsen notes. That includes alcohol-free beer, mocktails in cans and CBD-based drinks. Our thought bubble: The decline of drinking goes hand-in-hand with other wellness trends young people are driving — including vegetarian and vegan diets. Look for rates of drinking to drop even further as the next generation continues to prioritize health. Share this story.     A message from Axios Hiring? We can spread the word.     Axios Job Boards will get your job opportunity in front of qualified smart professionals. Post your opportunity to reach candidates looking for remote and local job opportunities. Use code FIRST50 to save $50 on your first job listing.     📊 Chart du jour Data: Sports Reference. Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios Here's a fun stat: NFL kickers are attempting and converting more long field goals than ever. By the numbers: After Sunday's games, kickers had made a record 72.3% of 50-yard field goals this season — a record 22.7% of all attempts. That shatters the previous records of 69.5% (2017) and 17.7% (2021), respectively, Jeff Tracy reports in Axios Sports. The bottom line: NFL kickers have never been better. Teams' increased trust in their legs is producing a more aggressive and exciting brand of football.   Thank you to Amy Stern for copy editing Finish Line. Are you a fan of this email format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 300 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: