“The New Year is often approached with new goals and mindsets, many of which focus on health, including reducing alcohol consumption. The Dry January campaign is one approach to help those who are sober curious or simply interested in cutting back in the new year.

Dry January is a month-long journey to stop drinking. It initially started as a campaign in the UK in 2013 under the organization Alcohol Change UK and quickly caught on worldwide as a growing trend. Since this campaign launched, nearly a quarter of all Americans have participated in Dry January each year.

The World Health Organization warns that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for health, and therefore, abstaining from alcohol is the best way to prevent alcohol-related diseases that can affect your heart, kidneys, brain, and liver. Alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., according to a 2022 study published in JAMA Network Open, and it seems that alcohol consumption in the United States is not stopping or slowing down anytime soon.

According to a 2023 Gallup survey:

62% of Americans consume alcohol
69% of these adults say they last had a drink within the past week. This includes 32% whose most recent drink was in the last 24 hours.
20% of adults in this survey say they drink more than they should
Beer and liquor sales have increased and especially are on the rise during the holiday season in December.
Younger generations drink less, & older generations continue to drink more.”

Alcohol Help (alcohol.com/Dry January 2025: The Ultimate Guide)