• The US Surgeon General’s recommendation calls for a warning label on alcohol products.
• The CEO of Free Spirits told BI he believes the statement will further drive a change in drinking culture.
• Non-alcoholic brands like Free Spirits are expanding as mindful drinking becomes more popular.

Milan Martin, the CEO of non-alcoholic spirits brand Free Spirits, said America’s drinking culture has evolved over the last decade – and the US Surgeon General’s statement on alcohol will further fuel that change.

In an advisory released Friday, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said alcohol consumption ranks third preventable cause of cancer in the US after tobacco and obesity. He also said he would like to see cancer warnings on wine, beer and spirits.

In an interview with Business Insider, Martin said that regardless of whether a change to the warning garners political support, he believes the statement will have an impact on consumers.

Are you planning to change your drinking habits in response to the Surgeon General’s recommendation? Tell us why this survey.

“What we saw at the surgeon is that there is now enough research that says alcohol does not play a positive role in your life and in particular has a link to cancer,” Martin said.

Martin said the recommendation will be another “nugget” that reinforces similar messages about alcohol based on data points, positive stories from friends who have quit drinking or policies from other governments. All of these insights stick in consumers’ minds and lead them to make more informed decisions, Martin said.

“It’s not that the alcohol industry is going away,” Martin said. “It’s just that people are now drinking more mindfully and paying more attention to moderation because they have the data.”

Martin said the current landscape of non-alcoholic drinking looks different than it did a year ago.

“Just a year ago, when I saw a cocktail menu on a restaurant menu without a recipe, I thought, ‘Great,'” Martin said, adding, “The expectation is that most restaurants have them now.”

Although he runs a non-alcoholic spirits company, Martin said neither he nor his employees would be considered “traditionally sober.” Martin said he still enjoys cocktails, but he drinks much less than he used to. Similar to most non-alcoholic consumers, Martin said he enjoys both options.

Before founding Free Spirits, Martin said he worked in advertising for 20 years and embraced the company’s “work hard, drink harder” mentality. He often said that he had indulged himself too much – but not because he really wanted to.

“It was just the phenomenon of having a great time and being at a great cocktail bar with friends. The energy is high,” Martin said. “Your glass is empty, you order a new one.”

Brands like Free Spirits, now sold in about 8,000 locations across the U.S., including stores like Total Wine & More and Wegmans, offer consumers the “bite and burn” of alcohol in a non-alcoholic beverage. The drinks also contain vitamins B12, B6 and B3. Other popular non-alcoholic options contain THC or psychedelics.

Instead of drinking orange juice or lemonade in a social setting, consumers now have the opportunity to enjoy a margarita or martini without the effects of alcohol.

Martin said Free Spirits’ prices have dropped about 15% to 20% since the company’s inception. As Free Spirits continues to expand and achieve efficiencies in its supply chain, the company plans to pass these savings on to its partners and consumers to expand category and brand availability, the company said.