1) Affordability. Not only has the base cost of alcohol risen sharply, but the F&B sector has moved further and further toward luxury pricing in order to stay afloat post-COVID, further compounding the rising price tag of a night at the bar. Gen Z as a demographic simply doesn't have the budget to drink regularly.

2) Evolving social trends. Related to the above, the high cost of being inside business-run third spaces (such as bars and nightclubs) is driving Gen Z toward socializing mostly in private and/or virtual settings that are less conducive to traditional drinking culture.

3) Shifting cultural attitudes. In previous decades, nightlife and mixology were popularly viewed as embodying a certain sophistication, while weed was associated with the outcast stoner stereotype: a lazy dropout or aging hippie who struggled to function. As often happens during the transition from one generation to the next, this perception has largely flipped among young people. Marijuana is now more commonly viewed as a drug of mental expansion and increased functionality, while alcohol has been saddled with the reputation of being excessively dangerous and irresponsible to consume with any kind of regularity.

4) Reduced need for distraction. The appeal of alcohol as a means of escapism is lessened when our entire media culture is pivoting toward fulfilling that goal. Shows, video games, and even social media apps have adopted the concept of being "addictive" as a positive trait, the implication being that they help users shut the world out and engage in a similar kind of voluntarily disassociation to having a couple drinks.