Nearly half of Canary Islands residents are teetotal

Nearly half of Canary Islands residents are teetotal, new survey reveals

Canary Islands residents are the least likely in Spain to have ever consumed alcohol, with a staggering 42.8 per cent declaring they have never had a single drink. The region also records the lowest rates of binge drinking, with just 18.3 per cent of the population regularly enjoying a beer or a glass of wine — whether for health reasons, personal conviction, or simple lack of interest.

“I don’t have a clear reason; it’s not for religious reasons and I’ve never been forbidden. I’ve just never been curious enough to try it,” explains Juan José Hernández, a 21-year-old from Tenerife who says he has never felt drawn to alcohol, despite it being a normalised habit in his immediate circle.

Hernández is far from alone, according to data from the 2023 Health Survey — published in May of this year — which the Ministry of Health has re-released as a monograph focusing exclusively on alcohol consumption. The report reveals that Spain ranks fifth in the eurozone for the highest prevalence of abstinence at 33.4 per cent, behind Turkey (85.1 per cent), Serbia (50.7 per cent), Croatia (38.3 per cent) and Italy (34.8 per cent).

Health concerns drive decision to quit

The reasons for giving up alcohol are varied, but for many, the decision comes after witnessing its effects on their health. “Alcohol inflames my body and weakens my immune system. I didn’t want that in my life,” says David Acosta, a 32-year-old from Tenerife who has been limiting his consumption since the age of 25. “I can’t call myself 100 per cent teetotal yet, but last year I only drank on about four occasions,” he explains.

Valeria Fernández has been teetotal since she came of age — not by choice, but due to her health. Shortly before turning 18, she tried a few recommended cocktails and didn’t like any of them. She never got the chance to discover whether other drinks might have appealed to her, because when she turned 18 she was diagnosed with lupus, a chronic illness whose treatment is incompatible with alcohol consumption. “Personally, it hasn’t affected me too much. I go out partying and don’t have a hangover the next day. But when I’ve travelled to other countries, like Japan or Korea, I was a bit frustrated not being able to have the full experience with some meals because I couldn’t drink sake or rice wine,” she says.

Women far more likely to abstain

The survey also shows that women are far less attracted to drinking than men. Specifically, 50.7 per cent of women over 15 in the Canary Islands have never tried alcohol in their lives, compared to 34.7 per cent of men. This decline in alcohol consumption is not a temporary blip — it is a long-term trend. The results reveal a significant shift in drinking habits over the past two decades, with regular alcohol consumption continuing to fall steadily, particularly among young people. However, patterns of heavy drinking, as well as social and gender inequalities, persist, requiring continued efforts to strengthen prevention and health promotion strategies.

From rum bottles to water bottles

Iris Pérez is one of the many who have swapped the rum bottle for a bottle of water. “I used to be the one who always brought a big bottle of booze or had a beer in my hand,” explains the young woman, who says that for her, giving up alcohol was more of an experiment than a conviction. “One day I tried going out during the carnival without drinking, and I had a brilliant time. Then I gradually started doing it more often when I went out clubbing, and I realised I was just as outgoing, dance-loving and fun without alcohol,” she stresses.

Beyond experiencing no negative effects, Pérez also noticed the many benefits of her new behaviour. “The next day I felt great. I could carry on doing sport and spending time with my family,” she reveals.

Canarians among least likely to drink regularly

Canary Islands residents are also among the least likely in Spain to have a drink, a beer or a glass of wine several times a week. Only 18.3 per cent of islanders have this habit, compared to 46.7 per cent in the Balearic Islands and 42.8 per cent in La Rioja. When it comes to daily drinking, Canarians are among the lowest in Spain. Just 5 per cent of islanders drink alcohol every day — almost three times less than in the Balearic Islands (14.3 per cent) and half the rate in Castilla-La Mancha (10 per cent).

Men are far more likely to maintain this habit, representing double the percentage of women. Specifically, 26.7 per cent of men drink once a week, compared to 10.2 per cent of women. Regular consumption is also more common among older age groups, with young people the least likely to drink — a trend that is increasingly taking hold among new generations.

In fact, since 2006, across Spain as a whole, the prevalence of regular consumption among 15 to 24-year-olds has fallen from 43.8 per cent to 17.9 per cent — a reduction of nearly 60 per cent and the sharpest decline of any age group analysed. Meanwhile, consumption rises to 39.7 per cent among those aged 55 to 64. This means there is a 21.8 percentage point gap between the youngest and oldest generations.

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Nearly half of Canary Islands residents are teetotal