Fifth of people drinking a lot more since Covid-19 lockdown

A fifth of Irish people surveyed say they have been drinking a lot more since the coronavirus lockdown.

A fifth of Irish people surveyed say they have been drinking a lot more since the Covid-19 lockdown.

Of the more than 4,500 Irish people surveyed, three in 10 drinkers said their alcohol consumption was making their mental health worse and half said it was affecting their physical health.

The research also found a sharp rise in the consumption of cannabis and prescription tranquillisers among respective users of those drugs.

The research was carried out by Global Drug Survey, an independent research body based in London.

The anonymous online survey, conducted last May and June, includes the results from 11 countries, including Ireland, which provided the most responses.

Authors said that the survey findings should not be taken as representative of the wider population as many respondents have past experience of drugs.

In Ireland, the gender was split fairly evenly, while the age profile of respondents was: Over 45 (38%), 35 to 44 (34%), 25 to 34 (23%), and under 25 (5%).

A third of people said they had a prior diagnosis of a mental health or developmental condition, mainly depression and anxiety.

On alcohol consumption, the survey revealed:

• 19% of drinkers said the amount they were drinking “increased a lot” and 30% said their consumption “increased a little”;
• 22% said they were drinking a lot more often, while 30% said they were drinking a little more often;
• 15% said they were engaging in a lot more binge drinking;
• Up to a fifth said they were drinking almost daily.

Reasons for drinking included having more time to drink, being bored, and being more stressed. 

Among those with a mental health condition, 43% said they drank because they were stressed, compared to 25% among those without a diagnosed condition.

Asked about the consequences of their drinking, 20% said their finances were worse, 30% said their mental health was worse, and 51% said their physical health was worse.

In relation to other drugs, the survey found that 16% had used cannabis in the last 30 days, while only 6% said they used it in the 12 months before that.

Some 6% said they had taken cocaine in the last 30 days, while 8% said they did so over the previous 12 months.

Use of prescription drugs jumped post Covid-19 lockdown, with 7% taking prescription benzodiazepines (tranquillisers) in the last 30 days, compared to 4% in the previous year. The respective figures for prescription opioids was 5% and 4%.

A fifth of cannabis users said their consumption increased a lot in May and June.

More than seven in 10 respondents said drug availability fell over the period. Some 15% said it took longer to source drugs and 14% said the price was higher.