SPOKANE, Wash. – Revenue numbers from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board reveal a steady decline in alcohol and cannabis sales since 2019. This trend could have deeper implications for local businesses and communities.

Gonzaga economics professor Ryan Herzog explained how younger generations are impacting the market.

“The younger generations, Gen Z and even millennials, are drinking less. They are consuming less alcohol. They’re consuming less cannabis. And so for a state like Washington, that depends so heavily on these sources of revenue, it’s going to have a trickle down effect to the county and local levels,” Herzog said.

Local brewery owner Dan Dvorak from Black Label Brewing shared how his business is affected by shifting consumer habits.

“The beer market has just cha

See Full Page