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It's Been a Minute

Sober-curious? Why your friends (and maybe you) are going dry.

It's Been a Minute

NPR

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality

4.6 β€’ 8.8K Ratings

πŸ—“οΈ 6 January 2025

⏱️ 20 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

According to Pew – 79% of New Year's resolutions are about one thing: health. It's Been a Minute is kicking off 2025 with a little series called "new year, new me." We're getting into some of the big questions and cultural confusion around our health and wellness.

This week – many Americans are starting out the year by cutting out alcohol and going "dry." But overall, alcohol is getting less popular in general: according to Gallup, the amount of Americans that drink is down to 58% – the lowest number since 1996. And 41% of Americans who do drink say they want to drink less. Is alcohol on its way out? And what would it mean to live in a more sober culture? Brittany Luse is joined by writer and journalist Ana Marie Cox to get into how people are disentangling alcohol from their lives, and the lessons she's learned as a recovering alcoholic.

Interested in trying out dry January? Our friends at NPR's Life Kit have a newsletter just for the sober-curious. Sign up here.

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

The Indicator is a podcast where Daily Economic News is about what matters to you.

0:04.5

Workers have been feeling the sting of inflation.

0:06.5

So as a new administration promises action on the cost of living, taxes, and home prices,

0:11.3

the S&P 500 biggest post-election day spike ever,

0:14.5

follow all the big changes and what they mean for you.

0:17.1

Make America affordable again.

0:20.4

Listen to The Indicator, the Daily Economics podcast from NPR.

0:26.5

Hello, hello.

0:28.0

I'm Brittany Luce, and you're listening to It's Been a Minute from NPR, a show about what's going on in culture and why it doesn't happen by accident.

0:44.6

Thank you. culture and why it doesn't happen by accident. It's 2025, baby.

0:47.3

And a lot of us are getting started on our New Year's resolutions.

0:53.1

And according to Pew, 79% of New Year's resolutions are about one thing.

1:00.5

Health. But there are so many different aspects to our health. And it's hard to separate fact,

1:07.1

fiction, and fad. We're kicking off 2025 with a little series called New Year, New Me.

1:13.8

We're getting into some of the big questions and cultural confusion around our health and wellness.

1:21.8

This week, many people are starting the year off by taking a break from alcohol, at least for this month.

1:29.1

Last year, one quarter of American adults participated in dry January.

1:34.1

I've done a few myself, and for many, it is about health.

1:38.0

The World Health Organization says there is no amount of alcohol consumption that is safe for our health.

1:44.2

And our surgeon general just recommended adding cancer risk labels to bottles.

1:49.1

Alcohol is also a leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.

1:53.2

So I get why dry January is popular.

...

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