Nearly half of American adults say they don’t touch alcohol, according to a 2025 Gallup survey. But perhaps folks are already getting the point, given Americans were already drinking less before the new guidance was issued. Alcohol has been linked to breast, bowel and liver cancers, among others, in addition to being bad for the brain and cardiovascular systems. Whatever role government guidance plays, Americans appear to have reached a conclusion of their own. They’re drinking less, embracing alcohol-free alternatives and treating alcohol more like cigarettes than a harmless indulgence.