I found this to be an interesting opinion piece — as someone who is unlikely to become a teetotaler any time soon, but I have significantly curbed my consumption & plan on continuing to do so.
I also have several friends in my circle who have quit drinking entirely for any variety of reasons.
The insecurity and judgment this seems to trigger among people who still partake is a fascinating aspect.
At the end of this month, it will be 25 years since I had my last alcoholic drink. It wasnt easy giving up. It still isn’t. But you change and adapt to the new circumstances. I realised early on that sitting in bar for the evening was no longer much fun, without a pint, or several, in my hand. It’s just not the same and I had no wish to match the pint drinkers, round for round, drinking Coke
I got a DUI in my late teens & once I got my license back I only ever drove stone-cold sober & often was the DD for my buds.
I can attest to the fact that sticking to a variety of sweet soda 
or water (this was well before ‘mocktails’ were a thing) got old real fast — especially when everyone else around you is hammered 
I wonder about the company he keeps. A good 20% of my friends are sober or mostly sober - my husband has one or two drinks a month, for instance, and a lot of folks have effortlessly segued to Phony Negronis and Athletic beer. Yet I’ve never seen (or participated in) grilling the non-drinkers about how they became non-drinkers. I’m frankly a bit suspicious that Blow is telling the truth.
Over the years, I have only occasionally been asked why I stopped. I always answer truthfully - that I’m an alcoholic. It tends to shut down the questioning quite quickly - an occasion where the truth pays off. By the by, I also stopped smoking on the same day.
Congratulations on both, John. That’s a great achievement 
Wow! quitting smoking and drinking at the same time. That’s a feat! I congratulate you, 25 years later.
Right, that’s a pretty normal reason. My friend group is such that one of them holds meetings, and three or four others attend.
Depends on what kind of people he hangs with, but he may be embellishing for effect, who knows 
It’s the first time I ever read any of his stuff. There is a comment section if you’re truly curious 
Nobody in my circle of friends would ever dare to ask why someone is not drinking. It’s uncouth and, frankly, disrespectful.
And none of anyone’s damn beeswax.
I read Charles Blow regularly, and I believe him. If he hangs around with New Yorkers (and I’m an ex-New Yorker, so I know), he’ll regularly encounter yentas and busybodies who love to ask questions like that.
I’m a current, long-time NYer, who hangs around with NYers (they’re everywhere) and we’re much more likely to ask what you paid for your apartment than why you quit drinking. We might ask about you to someone else, but that’s different thing.
Over the last six months, my heart burn/acid reflux had been acting up (pretty bad). It could be stress related, as I had been very worried about Sunshine.
Any who, my doctor fixed me up with a mild prescription but warned me about the possibility of alcohol reversing the correction. I didn’t listen and had a few drinks one night – boy did I pay the price for that one. The pain was quite intense.
So (for me) I had to give alcohol up completely. Would I like a drink – yes, do I want to pay the price (the next day) for having that drink – NO!!
The fortitude with which you did both is commendable. Not easy to do one; incredibly difficult to do both at the same time.
I quite smoking on a dare from my youngest stepbrother (autumn of 1979) while my stepfather and another stepbrother still smoked in the house. Not easy with other smokers in the house, but I did it.
Drinking? I’ve cut way way WAY back after my recent health issues, and have realized I don’t “need” it as much (and it’s also helped me lose a small bit of weight). I might pour a half glass of wine with dinner, but it’s become “Do I really want this now? Not really” situation. (Of course, I’m writing this today when I’m taking a coworker out for a birthday drink at the bar downstairs this evening. But my limit will be a single short pour.)
It truly isn’t the same. That said, I do like the Greek/ Balkan custom of sitting around nursing a couple coffees or frappes for 2 hours, especially on a patio in nice weather.
That has replaced any pub time or rounds of drinks for me.
Same! Also, not planning on completely abandoning alcohol, just becoming more moderate. I have been drinking from a young age, all through university, and then continuing into my working life. There is a lot of wining and dining in my job, so that has always made it hard to lessen drinking. Plus I like alcoholic drinks of course.
Luckily, I ahve always managed to have a sound relationship with alcohol. But getting older, having more medical (small) issues than before, and most importantly becoming a father have led me into moderating my intake.
So far, so good! There aren’t many moments when I miss it, also because I don’t have any rules. I still drink if I want to, during the week or even at home alone, but just a lot less than I used to.
Which is still heavily combined with plenty of smoking unfortunately
The Balkan coffee tradition continues in Canada, without the smoking, since smoking hasn’t been allowed on patios for around 20 years. The indoor smoking at pubs and bars in Canada ended around 22 years ago, too, although there were a few places breaking the rules, especially in Toronto’s Greektown and Little Ifaly, up until around 2006 or so.
Same, despite a father who was a heavy alcoholic.
That’s also me, minus the drinking at home alone. On the rare occasions where that has been the case, I haven’t felt compelled to imbibe at all — even before my decision to cut down. Of course, I am rarely home alone, and more often out & socializing with others.
I thought you were talking about Europe, where the heavy smoking inside and outside (inside got a better but it is still not perfect) is one of the things which annoys as most at every trip back
I suppose it depends on where in Europe. Apart from the UK where I live, I’ve only been to Cyprus and Spain recently. All three countries have bans on indoor smoking.
