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1. Introduction
Within the United Kingdom (UK), alcohol misuse remains one of the biggest risk factors for death, ill-health and disability, with young people most at risk of alcohol-related harm (Public Health England (PHE), 2016; World Health Organisation (WHO), 2018). In 2021 alone, there were 9,641 deaths related to alcohol-specific causes, which has risen substantially since 2019 (Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2022). However, despite much research and prevention work focussing on understanding and reducing such harms, in recent years, a significant increasing non-drinker population appears to be emerging, particularly within young people (Corre et al., 2023). Alcohol drinking non-participation appears to have great implications for identity, inclusion and social-cultural practices (Hill et al., 2022; Brown et al., 2020; Davies et al., 2019), but more research is required to understand potentially changing social practices of young people who seek positive social experiences away from alcohol drinking.
Students have long been the focus of alcohol misuse prevention research, due to the high prevalence of excessive consumption, or “binge drinking”, alongside negative health outcomes identified within student groups (Penny and Armstrong-Hallam, 2010). A recent survey of 4,063 university students suggests most still do consume alcohol, with 41% reportedly drinking once a week or more, 30% less than once a week and only 27% abstaining completely (2% unsure) (Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS), 2024). New relationships, independence, increased alcohol access and university pressures, combined with existing high levels of mental health issues and risk-taking, are often used to explain such behaviours (Boden and Day, 2023). Dominant alcohol intoxication cultures are also thought to exist on university campuses, with alcohol highly visible and heavy consumption normalised through targeted alcohol advertising and prevalent within student pre-conceptions (SOS, 2024; Gambles et al., 2022; Brown and Murphy, 2018; Davies et al., 2018). Due to this, light or non-drinking students reportedly face issues with belonging, social exclusion, peer pressure and stigma due to their non-drinking status (Gambles et al., 2022; Jacobs et al., 2018; Davies et al., 2018).
Universities therefore remain a key focus for targeting intervention efforts and, in recent years, many have developed interventions and dedicated policies to tackle alcohol misuse within student populations (Boden and Day, 2023). Many prevention approaches tend...