Washington [US], June 4 (ANI): With the implementation of several restrictions, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has somehow managed to alter the drinking habits among young adults, suggested a new study.
E-Mail
HAMILTON, ON (June 3, 2021) - A novel longitudinal study on heavy drinking in young adults and the psychological impacts of COVID-19 has revealed some unexpected findings that challenge preconceived notions regarding pandemic-related alcohol use.
In a sample of nearly 500 young adults ranging in age from 18 to 25, researchers saw a reduction in problematic drinking and alcohol consequences during the initial phase of the pandemic for both men and women. This is in contrast to many anecdotal reports of increased drinking and increased household spending on alcohol during that time period.
More startling, however, were the additional findings that showed increased rates of depression and anxiety symptoms among young women - increases that were not observed to a significant degree among male participants.
A separate Statistics Canada survey, released in March, found that 34 per cent of Canadians said their cannabis consumption increased compared to pre-pandemic.
Neuroscientist Sarah Konefal, a research and policy analyst with Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, says there are ways to reduce the risk of cannabis use. (Submitted by Sarah Konefal)
Additionally, cannabis retail sales in 2020 were $2.6 billion, more than double sales in 2019, the data found.
Statistics Canada noted that continued monitoring of cannabis use is necessary because the impact of the pandemic is difficult to measure and the retail landscape is shifting quickly in different provinces, with more stores opening and more products coming to market.