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Sober By Choice
The New Sobriety
“Not for me, thanks,” our friend told the waiter who was about to pour his favorite red wine into his glass. “I don’t drink anymore,” he shared with a somewhat smug look on his face. This wasn’t the “I’m an alcoholic” moment of old. Or, “I am trying to cut down.” Or, “I don’t drink during the week.” This was a new, hard pass. A declaration. And as is often the case with me, I wanted to know why.
However, this is a tricky one because I am also a big believer in letting everyone live their lives the way they want. I mean, if they aren’t hurting themselves or others, what business is it of mine? But for some reason, this seems like less of a privacy issue, and more of a social movement. And social movements are open for discussion, aren’t they?
In the last year, this societal shift seems to have gained much momentum and attention. What was formerly a change imposed by addiction or health concerns, has become a widespread lifestyle decision that involves people choosing not to drink for a variety of reasons.
With the recent publicity around the announcement by The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), that alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen, the trend of going on the wagon has only increased. To clarify, also included in this classification are asbestos, radiation, and tobacco. This is the highest risk…
