Liquor Store Sales Rose During Pandemic

TUESDAY, Aug. 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Americans did much drinking astatine location during the aboriginal months of the coronavirus pandemic, which researchers accidental whitethorn beryllium linked to a emergence successful domestic violence and different problems.

"Our results look to substantiate an summation successful location drinking during the period, which could perchance pb to higher alcohol depletion and alcohol-related adverse wellness outcomes," said survey archetypal writer Dr. João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, a postdoctoral chap successful epidemiology astatine Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health successful New York City.

Between March and September 2020, beer, vino and liquor store income totaled $41.9 cardinal — 20% higher than during the aforesaid months successful 2019 and 18% higher than betwixt August 2019 and February 2020, his squad reported.

Meanwhile, edifice and barroom income dropped 27% betwixt March and September 2020, according to the study published online recently successful the diary Alcohol.

In September 2020, edifice and barroom income were astir 15% beneath pre-pandemic levels, portion beer, vino and liquor store income were 17% higher and person since stayed adjacent to that level.

When researchers compared beer, vino and liquor store income successful the archetypal 3 quarters of consecutive years betwixt 1992 and 2020, the top alteration was a $7.5 cardinal summation betwixt the archetypal 3 quarters of 2019 and 2020.

Excessive drinking astatine location could beryllium an unhealthy mode of coping with stress astir pandemic-related issues specified arsenic quarantine and an uncertain future, the researchers said.

They besides pointed retired that drinking astatine location has been linked with home violence.

"During the pandemic, increases successful intoxicant usage astatine location could perchance exacerbate the effects of societal isolation connected home violence," Castaldelli-Maia said successful a assemblage quality release.

He noted that U.S. constabulary departments reported a 10% to 27% summation successful home unit calls during COVID lockdowns. The calls came from wide-ranging locations from Alabama and Texas to Oregon and New York. Castaldelli-Maia said it is, however, unclear whether location drinking played a role.

Senior writer Dr. Silvia Martins, an subordinate prof of epidemiology, said determination is inactive overmuch to larn astir pandemic-era intoxicant use. Nonetheless, helium said, it is important to pass radical astir the risks of accrued location drinking.

"It is besides important to analyse intoxicant usage behaviors among individuals astatine precocious hazard of corruption by SARS-CoV-2 specified arsenic frontline workers and among those surviving unsocial for longer isolation periods," Martins said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute connected Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggests rethinking drinking.

SOURCE: Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, quality release, Aug. 19, 2021