Is America Going Sober? Alcohol, Gen-Z, and the Rise of New Vices

America is drinking less, but is that really a good thing? In this Home Team episode, we break down the stats, debate whether alcohol is truly on the decline, and ask the bigger question: what’s replacing it? From vaping to THC, pharma-driven “cure alls,” and Japan’s Metabo Law, this conversation covers the cultural shift around drinking—and whether it’s leading us toward better health or just new problems. Timestamps: [0:00] Why Gen-Z is drinking less [1:44] Declining alcohol statistics [4:00] The case for giving it up [5:00] Alcohol and personal freedom [7:04] Are stats misleading? Depression + screen time rise [8:34] Questionable polling and fake protests [10:20] Alcohol’s dangers (and its upsides) [12:22] Why “not drinking” feels like a big deal [15:10] Peer pressure is fading [15:40] Have kids just swapped alcohol for vaping + THC? [16:35] Parents’ role in showing balance [21:30] The reality of being compromised [22:45] Not letting nights ruin mornings [23:30] When to cut alcohol out (and is it just alcohol?) [29:20] You don’t know what you don’t know [30:15] What happened with Raja Jackson [36:03] Punishment in the ring [38:30] Women’s sports boom in California [40:51] Serena Williams and GLP-1 [45:55] Are we overcorrecting? [50:00] The danger of “cure-alls” and big profits [54:50] Why adults must make informed choices [57:42] Why pharma ads aren’t legal elsewhere [1:02:00] Japan’s Metabo Law