Covid payments allowed users to increase their drug use

A study showed Covid restrictions had fuelled outdoor drinking and illegal drug use.

People reached for alcohol and illegal drugs to "cope" with isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic and the emergency unemployment payment contributed to increased consumption among some users, according to new research.

The study, conducted in a large Dublin suburb, documents a huge increase in drug-related litter in the area in recent years, with Covid restrictions fuelling outdoor drinking and illegal drug use.