Generation Z Turns Its Back on Alcohol

Russia’s youngest adult generation is rewriting the country’s drinking script. While older cohorts built social life around vodka and festive toasts, Generation Z is largely stepping away from alcohol. According to clinical psychologist Sergei Volkov, 54% of zoomers say they never consume alcohol, and bank-card data shows the drink appears in only 19% of their transactions—half the rate of older Russians.

The shift is part of a broader national trend. Per capita alcohol consumption fell from 8.8 litres in 2021 to 7.8 litres in 2025, the fastest decline in Europe. Experts attribute the change to evolving social norms, greater leisure alternatives and a state that has tightened alcohol regulation over the past decade.

But mental-health specialists caution that the headline numbers mask a more complicated picture. The human drive for addictive behaviour has not disappeared, they say; it has merely found new outlets.

A Deeper Look at the Substitutes and Their Hidden Risks

The Energy Drink and Vape Explosion

Where previous generations might have lit a cigarette or poured a shot, today’s young Russians are reaching for energy drinks and vaping devices. Psychiatrist Ruslan Isaev, head of the Dr Isaev Clinic and president of the Independent Narcological Guild, notes that while traditional alcohol and tobacco use is declining, consumption of alternative nicotine products is higher among zoomers than in any other demographic.

Volkov warns that roughly five million Russians now use vapes, but a clear picture of youth uptake is missing because the sector spent years without proper licensing or labelling. Meanwhile, energy drinks—classified as non-alcoholic and therefore absent from addiction statistics—are being consumed “almost by the litre,” placing strain on users’ hearts and nervous systems.

The Digital Seduction

The decline of in-person drinking culture has been accelerated by digital life. Shared parties have morphed into social-media feeds and AI-powered chat apps, giving rise to what experts describe as a sweeping dependence on smartphones and platforms. Isaev stresses that addiction is defined by behaviour, not substance: gambling-like mechanics in video games and betting apps now exploit the same neural reinforcement pathways used by alcohol or drugs.

When ‘Healthy Living’ is Cosmetics

Official data show the share of Russians claiming a healthy lifestyle jumped from 52% to 76%, with 69% of young people describing their habits as active. Yet this image is often shallow. Only 23% of fitness-club members are aged 18–24; the core audience is 30–54. Young people spend an average of just ₽6,000–₽8,000 a month on wellness, and most of it goes to dietary supplements and online nutrition courses they never finish.

“About 80% of purchased online-course content is never watched,” says Volkov, who calls the behaviour “demonstrative consumption.” He argues that buying supplements and signing up for courses often serves as a stress ritual rather than genuine health management—an example of impulse-shopping addiction dressed up as self-care.