<p>Of 12 years and older Americans, 18% have had no drinks in their lifetimes, and 33% have had no drinks in the past year. 48% have had no drinks in the past month, indicating that alcohol is not a prominent part of their lives.</p>
<p>At age 21, the percentages are smaller, something like 11%, 15%, and 28% respectively. Although that means that a lot of college students do drink alcohol frequently, it does not mean that “everyone does it”.</p>
<p>I didn’t want alcohol at my wedding, didn’t see the point since my family didn’t drink and didn’t think that husbands family would incur a hardship if they did not drink for a few hours in the early afternoon.</p>
<p>I have two kids who don’t drink and one sister-in-law and mother-in-law. I guess the kids take after grandma since dh and I both like our liquor just fine.</p>
<p>I drink maybe 12 ounces of any form of alcohol total per year, usually in the form of a sip or two or a splash of wine for special events. My kids maybe drink 12 ounces or so every month, I believe. H drinks an average of 12 ounces a month, to be sociable (often splitting a beer with my dad). Alcohol isn’t a major beverage in most of the households of my parents and sibs–of our 8 households, only two or three of them have alcohol more than once or twice a month. In college, I rarely drank alcohol either–never found it appealing. </p>
<p>H, D & I favor moscato wine when we drink, which is too sweet for many.</p>
<p>Alcohol is pretty big in my world- and I’m a competitive runner and have a professional job. It’s also pretty big at my church! My friends aren’t drunks, but wine events and craft beer are definitely a part of our social life. </p>
<p>MomOfWC, if this isn’t too personal, what is it that you like about it exactly? The buzz it gives you? Helps you get through social outings? The taste? I don’t drink and have always told my kids if they hang out with people they like, they won’t feel the need to drink. Maybe simplistic, but I do think that is somewhat true. What do you think? </p>
<p>Admittedly, this is based on some personal experiences with very unhappy people I know who drink a ton! That made me wonder why a ‘happy person’ would drink.</p>
<p>My 23 year old drinks, 21 year old doesn’t. My Mom drinks a martini every Friday night at 5 pm. H and I would have maybe one or 2 glasses wine or beer during the week and maybe 2-3 over the weekend. I had an allergic reaction to my surgery drugs and developed many intlerantces - one being an intolerance to alcohol. The only thing I can drink is 3 tablespoons of potato vodka or I go into tachycardia. So I never drank much, but now I want what I don’t have.</p>
<p>This really isn’t that surprising. I went to a huge “party” undergrad and there were plenty of people that didn’t drink. </p>
<p>I drink beer because I like the taste of beer. Extremely rarely do I drink enough to give me a buzz and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been drunk in my life. </p>
<p>I certainly don’t need any help from alcohol to get through social occasions! I like the taste of what I drink. I don’t like most mixed drinks. I like the differences in kinds of wine and beer. I enjoy craft beers. A drink or two can be relaxing, My husband, daughters son in law, a houseguest and ai just got back from a lovely evening sitting outdoors at a gorgeous local winery. We visited and enjoyed a couple of bottles of the winery’s wine.</p>
<p>I don’t understand your comment about “the need to drink.” What’s wrong with it? Do you have a “need” to eat a hamburger or a “need” to go get ice cream? It’s just an adult beverage. It isn’t smuggling drugs over the border!</p>
<p>I’m a very happy person, and I drink. I have a glass of wine or a beer after work maybe 4-5 days out of 7, and about once every 2 weeks or so I have a 2nd drink. Occasionally it’s a margarita or other mixed drink instead of beer or wine. I have more than 2 drinks in a “sitting” about 1-2 times a year, usually for a special event or when entertaining (or being entertained). Can’t remember the last time I was “drunk.”</p>
<p>I like the taste of many kinds of alcoholic drinks, and I also like the little buzz and relaxed feel I get. I don’t like to drink soda, so alcoholic drinks add to the variety of things I can drink with a snack or meal. if not a “drink” then I usually will have water or iced tea. </p>
<p>Everyone’s taste is different, but I like Chardonnay and some other white wines, most red wines (especially Zinfandel) if I’m in the mood for red. Don’t really like sweet wines, but a nice Port is good for dessert. I have a friend who is a brewer and have been learning more about beer, the various flavors, bitterness, etc., and I like most beers (but not stout!), again, dependingmon what mood I’m in and what I’m eating.</p>
<p>I drank some in college but not a lot. I had nothing against alcohol just didn’t like it. I prob. haven’t had a drink/beer in 30 years! DH and both of our sons are beer drinkers. </p>
<p>My wife drinks beer, and every now and then I’ll have a sip if she’s having a new beer I’ve never tasted. If I’m in the UK and not driving, I might have a half-pint of Guinness or Murphy’s. In the average year, I probably have the equivalent of 3-4 beers. DS drinks seldom and has a beer or two when he does. </p>
<p>I don’t aim to deny anyone the pleasure of a drink. My wife finds that it helps her unwind after a rough day. I have seen some socially awkward people loosen up a bit after one or two drinks. However, if I put those “beneficial” aspects of alcohol on a balance scale, and on the other side put the violence, illness, accidents, and family dysfunction in which alcohol played a contributing role, I think it’s not a close call. </p>
<p>We toured the Jack Daniel’s distillery yesterday with our houseguest and learned about a new cinnamon whiskey that Jack introduced in April. We went out and bought some for an after dinner drink. It is great ice cold and tastes like liquid red hot candies. SO good! Just a few sips is plenty.</p>
<p>I don’t drink liquor, I don’t drink beer, I have never had a shot, but I LIKE wine. I enjoy the taste. I’ve taken wine tasting classes, I went to France and learned about wines. I am certainly not an expert, but I do enjoy learning about the various nuances. Of course, it does contain alcohol, which if you are sipping wine vs. guzzling it, you will feel as a mild sense of well being or a relaxing sensation. I see nothing wrong with that if you are not driving or drinking to excess.</p>
<p>What’s with the judgment?</p>
<p>As to the fact that people don’t drink, what’s surprising about that? I know many people who don’t drink, but I don’t give it much thought at all. </p>
<p>Drinking is part of the social scene, and not drinking is seen as a bit odd. I don’t care much about alcohol one way or the other, but is part of what goes on when friends get together. In my state anyhow, Wisconsin, which is a heavy drinking place, due to the German heritage and how it has evolved. Alcohol is not especially important to me, and I say no in many situations (no need for the calories for one thing) , but on occasion I have a mixed drink or some wine or beer. I like good wine, mixed drinks, dark beer. But that occasion for me occurs perhaps once a month, and most of my social life is sans alcohol, even though most folks around me are having a beer or glass of wine. </p>
<p>Being conversational is not something I need help with, but I do find that I’m a little more easily amused with one drink, and a little less hesitant about expressing my own opinions. </p>
<p>I only think about drink when I’m in a restaurant or at a party. I don’t drink much wine, certainly not often at restaurants because of the markup, and I don’t like beer much. I enjoy cocktails but truth is most bartenders suck and can’t even make a decent gin & tonic. It’s a real pleasure when someone makes their signature drink at a house party. </p>
<p>I try to have a drink every other night or so. My doctor has been trying for years to get me to do this. The medical evidence is decent though not over-whelming. By drink, I mean a cocktail or maybe some scotch neat. We cleared out our bar cabinet earlier this summer, dumping stuff that had accumulated for which we had no use, and I had to wonder how I ended up with so many bottles of single malt scotch. </p>
<p>BTW, a terrific book for people who simply want to enjoy a drink at home and/or with friends is 12 Bottle Bar. They also have a website. Readable, good recipes, simple method of organization that makes more kinds of drinks accessible. </p>
<p>Whoever said it above said it for me. I only drink tea/coffee and water, so I drink wine with dinner. Probably about a glass and a half a night. Never get drunk. I am getting tired of the mark up on glasses of wine at restaurants, though. </p>
<p>I honestly don’t remember the last time I had a drink, but it was most probably a sangria at a Mexican restaurant. I have dinner once a month with a friend and she’d prefer to have a drink with her meal. It bothers me not at all that she wants/occasionally gets one but my lack of interest in getting one myself bothers her. I tell her to go ahead but she often she decides not to, after all. (And no I truly don’t care - no negative vibes coming from me.) It makes me feel bad but not bad enough to order something I just don’t want. </p>
<p>In social situations where drinks are being served and someone tells me they don’t drink, I find myself automatically and unintentionally sizing them up as recovering alcoholics or DUI convicts and feel sorry for them, which is ironic probably. </p>
<p>It’s probably best not to make blanket statements about ones drinking habits because others tend to draw conclusions from them that can be erroneous. Of course, unless you don’t care. </p>
<p>I’m sure you realize that there are other reasons one can elect to abstain from alcohol - there are medical conditions and medications that can be incompatible with alcohol (alcohol can interfere with liver metabolism of said medicines resulting in side effects or affecting the drug’s potency):</p>