CLEVELAND — Countless Americans are choosing to give up alcohol this month as they participate in ‘Dry January’. But according to a study in the Journal of American Medicine, many young people are choosing to abstain from alcohol year round.

What You Need To Know

  • Dry January is a month when many choose to forgo alcohol following holiday celebrations

  • A Cleveland bartender said he's seen a clear spike in customers ordering non-alcoholic drinks in December and January

  • The bartender said Dry January is most popular with his younger customers

Researchers found 28% of college students age 18-22 reported they don't drink, compared to 20% in 2002. The number is even higher for people age 18-22 who weren't in college. Nearly 30% said they didn't drink.

Sebastian Albornoz, the bar manager at Cordelia in Downtown Cleveland, said he not only sees younger people participating in Dry January, but many bar industry professionals take part.

 “A lot of people in the industry right now are sober,” Albornoz said. “A lot of different bartenders that have been doing this and creating cocktails for years stopped drinking.”

Albornoz said the bar prides itself on offering ‘mocktails’ that do not sacrifice any flavor, so people who are not drinking alcohol do not feel that they are missing out.

“Everyone wants to be there and wants to be with their friends,” the bartender said. “If you are not drinking, you still have the possibility to come and have a good time with your friends.”

He said the bar sees a clear spike in the number of customers ordering drinks without alcohol during this time of year.

“We have been seeing from the end of December throughout January, you spike on these ones,” he said.

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