After-Work Substance Trends | Drug Rehab USA

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Andrew McKenna - JD

SUD treatment executive, national news contributor & keynote speaker.

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After Hours: Inside America’s After-Work Substance Rituals

From THC drinks to CBD and alcohol-free options, U.S. workers are rethinking after-work rituals. New research explores what’s behind the shift.

There are over 273 million civilians who work in the United States. Each one has a different role, and with it comes different ways to decompress after a full day of work. For many, though, there is a shared commonality in their after-work rituals: substances. From alcohol to CBD-infused drinks, our after-hours routines say a lot about how we manage stress, create boundaries, and transition into personal time.

To explore how these rituals are changing, Drug Rehab USA surveyed 1,000 employed adults about what they reach for after work, how quickly they do it, and why. Ultimately, our findings indicate that while some workers still rely on traditional ways to unwind — through alcoholic beverages or nicotine — remote workers and younger adults are shifting the norm by becoming more open to alternative substances.

Key Takeaways

  • 24% of Americans have at least partially replaced alcohol with non-alcoholic or cannabis drinks, led by Gen Z and millennials, 1 in 3 of whom now regularly drink THC-based beverages.
  • 43% use a calming substance three or more times per week, while 35% abstain entirely. Women (41%) are far more likely than men (26%) to favor substance-free rituals.
  • 66% of Americans have tried alternatives to alcohol in the past 6 months, with seltzers and sparkling water (31%), cannabis drinks (27%), and non-alcoholic beers or mocktails (20%) leading the way.
  • To unwind after work, 45% drink alcohol, while 24% use nicotine, 20% turn to cannabis, and 16% choose alcohol alternatives like mocktails, non-alcoholic beer, or CBD.
  • Stressful days (33%) are the top trigger for after-work substance use, followed by social or personal rituals (26%), winding down before bedtime (15%), and creating a mental cutoff from work (10%).
  • Two in five start their after-work ritual within an hour, and nearly one in four spend more than $50 a week on after-work substances or beverages.

The Most Common After-Work Go-Tos

When it comes to winding down after a long day, Americans are reaching for a mix of familiar comforts and emerging alternatives. While alcohol still dominates, the competition between nicotine and cannabis shows how habits are evolving across generations.

Alcohol remains the dominant choice, named by nearly half of all respondents. Nicotine products came in second — ahead of cannabis — illustrating how deeply ingrained smoking and vaping still are in after-work routines, particularly among older millennials and Gen X.

Cannabis products ranked third overall, driven in part by younger adults in states where recreational use is legal. Meanwhile, 15% said they prefer non-alcoholic options like mocktails or zero-proof beer. 

This latter option indicates that the sober-curious movement is growing, even among workers who may have traditionally sought out substances to decompress. Generation Z and younger millennials are the most significant drivers behind this movement, as they have been more health-conscious and risk-averse compared to previous generations. Plus, with the growth of the sober curious movement on social media, abstaining from substances has become more normalized, even in after-work happy hour environments. 

How Frequently Do Employees Use Substances After Work?

Not all after-work habits are occasional. For many, substance use becomes part of a weekly rhythm — sometimes a near-daily one. Just like brushing your teeth at the end of the night, using substances to decompress can easily become habitual for workers.

In our survey, over one in three respondents use a substance three or more days per week, suggesting a shift from casual use to established routine. A substantial share of respondents — nearly one in five — admitted to using substances daily after work.

Meanwhile, 35% said they abstain entirely. This discrepancy highlights how divided workers have become in their after-work. No one’s after-work routine looks the same, and that includes whether they need a glass of wine, a cigarette, or a soft seltzer after a long day at work. 

Regardless, we did find a trend of substance use among full-time workers (52%) and middle-income earners, with rates exceeding 50% across several brackets between $25,000 and $125,000 per year.

Among all the substances, alcohol was one of the most common substances featured in an after-work ritual. For many respondents, alcohol frequently appears in their monthly and weekly usage.

According to our survey, nearly two-thirds of Americans reported drinking after work at least occasionally, with 1 in 3 doing so multiple times per week. Alcohol use was widespread among full-time workers, with 77% reporting at least some after-work drinking. Still, 37.5% said they never drank after work at all, reinforcing that these rituals are far from universal.

The Role of Social Drinking in Substance Use 

For many respondents, social situations were a significant driving factor in how often they participated in substance use. From happy hours to casual drinks with friends or coworkers, these shared rituals can influence how often people engage.

While more than 4 in 10 Americans said they never take part in after-work social outings, a clear majority (58%) do at least occasionally — with about one-third participating monthly or more often. These shared experiences may not always involve substances, but they remain a defining part of the after-hours culture for many.

The After-Work Clock: When Rituals Begin

The timing of after-work rituals offers a glimpse into how intentional — or reflexive — these behaviors may be. For many, the transition from work to winding down happens fast.

More than 40% of respondents said they begin their ritual within an hour of logging off, signaling a strong need to disconnect mentally. Younger adults were more likely to dive in immediately. 

We also saw differences among those with different workplace arrangements. For example, those with hybrid or flexible work setups tended to delay — or vary — their timing based on the day. As 51% of workplaces use a hybrid workplace, this may indicate that the modern worker may have a significantly different after-work routine than workers of previous generations. 

That said, a sizable share of respondents (31%) reported that their after-work ritual wasn’t tied to a clock. Instead, their mood, workload, or social situations were bigger influences. For these respondents, the boundary between work and rest isn’t rigid. It fluctuates every day, which may have effects on their daily routines between work and their personal lives. 

What Triggers the Ritual? Stress Tops the List

When researching substance use, the why behind it can quickly become nuanced and emotionally complex. When we asked respondents about why they turned to substances during their after-work ritual, many answered with a mix of answers about emotional coping and intentional unwinding. 

Notably, one in three respondents cited stressful days as the primary trigger, making it the most common motivator by far. This comes as no surprise when considering how many workers report feeling stressed. According to an OSHA report, nearly 80% of U.S. workers felt stressed during work, and 50% believed that stress continued to follow them at home, which could affect their after-work rituals. 

Meanwhile, social rituals came next (26%) as a common reason why they use substances after work. Whether they’re unwinding with a partner or reflecting on their day with a roommate, substance can present a social situation that allows people to comfortably unload and unwind after their day. 

Others turned to substances to help them fall asleep (15%) or to mentally separate work from life (10%), showing how the ritual can serve different psychological roles depending on the person.

What After-Work Rituals Cost

Nearly 1 in 4 respondents (15.8%) spend over $50 per week on calming products or substances. Meanwhile, nearly one-third keep their spending under $25, reflecting a wide range in how much people invest in these routines.

These costs further fund billion-dollar industries centered around substances. For one, the cannabis industry, while limited to legalized states, is a $38.5 billion industry. Tobacco products, which include cigarettes, vapes, and other nicotine products, brought in $108.5 billion. Alcoholic beverages and spirits generated $309 billion, the most significant industry of all three. Many of these industries rely on workers to consistently financially support their products, and can be a significant factor within the global economy. 

Shifting Norms, Same Needs

After-work rituals are no longer limited to a nightly drink — or even to alcohol at all. From THC-infused beverages to nicotine pouches and non-alcoholic alternatives, today’s habits reflect a broader redefinition of what it means to unwind.

While motivations vary — stress, routine, social connection — the throughline is clear: Americans are turning to consumable rituals to draw a line between work and rest. For many, those rituals begin within the hour and recur multiple times a week.

As substances evolve and workplace norms shift, employers and health professionals should consider a wider view of after-hours wellness. These habits aren’t fringe — they’re part of how many people transition out of the workday.

Methodology

We surveyed 1,000 employed U.S. adults to learn more about how people use substances to transition out of the workday. We balanced the sample by age and gender, and asked about what they use, how often, why, and how much they typically spend each week.

Drug Rehab USA is a national resource for substance use treatment, education, and recovery support. By exploring the everyday behaviors that can shape or escalate substance dependence, we provide data-driven insights for prevention, wellness, and long-term care.

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