> Why are these two things even remotely related? It seems like you just stuck two completely different thoughts together.

I mean, they're both beverages that people consume which, to different extents, alter their perceptions? It's not like I was saying I was surprised by a lack of correlation between entirely different activities, like people playing less poker and eating more cookies. There's also an historical thread of people who are adamantly against (straight edge; sometimes contentious but here's the originator's take: youtube.com/watch?v=jRe54BpFdeE) or adjacent to drinking culture (mods, hackers, athletes, etc.) who are more into coffee/caffeine. Those folks may use it as a crutch, as a way to disambiguate themselves (I know people who do this) or just as an alternative. So, instead of going to a bar on a Friday night, they will go to a cafe. Therefore, my thinking was that if younger generations are not drinking as much, they may be gathering and consuming other beverages instead (i.e. coffee).