Study finds alcohol and cannabis sales rose with pandemic

Alcohol and hashish gross sales in Canada have been greater in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison with pre-pandemic gross sales. Since March 2020, month-to-month alcohol gross sales elevated by a median of 5.5 p.c over anticipated gross sales, whereas hashish gross sales had a a lot steeper improve, approaching 25 p.c.

The findings have been recognized in a research performed by the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Analysis (PBCAR) of McMaster College and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, and the Homewood Analysis Institute.

The research used info from Statistics Canada to match 16 months of alcohol and hashish gross sales earlier than and after the pandemic started (November 2018 to February 2020 in comparison with March 2020 to June 2021). In the course of the pandemic interval, Canadians purchased 1.86 billion {dollars} extra alcohol than was predicted based mostly on the pre-pandemic pattern. Will increase in hashish gross sales have been $811 million greater, practically a billion {dollars} above the expected quantity.

“These outcomes supply one of many first nationwide views on modifications in alcohol and hashish use in the course of the pandemic,” stated James MacKillop, director of the PBCAR and co-author of the research. “These gross sales knowledge give us a chance to quantify the pandemic’s impacts on two of essentially the most generally used substances for the nation as a complete.”

The analysis additionally confirmed that in March 2020, gross sales of alcohol and hashish surged by roughly 15 p.c over what was anticipated. The spike parallels different client stockpiling of assorted items as the primary wave of the COVID-19 pandemic started to broadly influence North America.

Alcohol gross sales subsequently returned to extra typical ranges after stockpiling in March 2020, however remained elevated total, whereas hashish gross sales continued to outpace predicted ranges extra dramatically throughout the 16-month interval. Notably, the distinction between alcohol and hashish will increase are congruent with a separate research of self-reported pandemic-induced modifications in hashish use amongst Canadians by the Centre for Habit and Psychological Well being.

MacKillop emphasised that the medical significance and the consequences on public well being can’t be straight inferred from the elevated gross sales figures alone, however that these macroeconomic indicators might function an early warning system for extra long-term medical impacts linked to elevated substance use.

“These gross sales figures give us clues into potential modifications in behavioral patterns and might inform planning to deal with psychological well being impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he stated.

A complexity within the findings is that the pandemic hashish gross sales comply with the primary 16 months following legalization. Though the predictions integrated the quickly increasing authorized market, the pandemic might have shifted hashish customers from the unlawful market to authorized, on-line buying, MacKillop added. This contributed to the substantial improve in authorized hashish gross sales since March 2020, in comparison with the extra modest improve in alcohol gross sales.

Jean Costello, director of analysis at Homewood Analysis Institute and a research co-author, stated: “It is unclear whether or not comparable patterns exist outdoors of Canada, however the findings point out the worth of gross sales knowledge as a method to characterize the impacts of COVID-19 on substance use.

“Though the altering panorama following hashish legalization is a crucial consideration, the provision of hashish gross sales knowledge in any respect is a boon for researchers evaluating the pandemic’s impacts.”

The research was printed in JAMA Community Open.