Over 60% of Millennials and Gen Zers Drink or Do Drugs on the Job

Work stress is pushing a huge number of younger workers to reach for something stronger than caffeine. A new survey by SubstanceAbuseCounselor.org found that more than 60 percent of Gen Z and millennials are using drugs or alcohol weekly—or daily—to get through their jobs. 

Millennials are also spending more than any other generation, with some shelling out over $300 a month on substances to keep up. This growing pattern reveals how intense work pressure is shaping day-to-day habits—and emptying wallets in the process.

“This isn’t just about burnout,” Rebecca Turley, Content and Research Coordinator at SubstanceAbuseCounselor.org, told VICE. “It’s about workers pushed to the edge by economic uncertainty, and AI, tariffs, and recession panic aren’t helping.”

Over 60% of Young People Drink or Do Drugs to Get Through Work

In fact, 41 percent of American workers said they feel pressured to use substances just to meet job expectations. That number jumps to 54 percent among millennials. Many say they’ve turned to alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs in response to layoffs, rising financial anxiety, and the creeping threat of automation.

Alcohol remains the most-used substance across all generations—41 percent of respondents reported drinking to manage stress—but Gen Z is leading the surge in recreational drug use. Nearly 4 in 10 Gen Zers report using substances like cannabis regularly, compared to just 10 percent of baby boomers.

“Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect time for employers to reflect on their behavior,” Turley added. “Employers can’t afford to ignore that job-related financial pressure is now the number one driver of substance use. That stress doesn’t just follow workers home; it follows them into addiction.”

The report paints a bleak picture of a workforce stuck in a vicious cycle. Financial pressure is the top stressor across generations—but younger workers are more likely to report that substance use has worsened their financial situation. Half of millennials say using drugs or alcohol has added to their financial burden, and 1 in 3 feel it’s held them back in their careers.

Meanwhile, 34 percent of Americans say they’ve used substances at work. In some cases, employers don’t know. In others—they do. And they allow it.

“When 41% of workers feel pressured to use substances just to meet job demands,” said Turley, “we’re beyond a wellness issue. We’re looking at a cultural and economic crisis unfolding silently in breakrooms and home offices alike.”

Until mental health is treated as a structural workplace issue—rather than a personal failing—expect those numbers to keep climbing.