The COVID-19 pandemic was a time of unknowns. It brought confusion, anxiety, fear, boredom, isolation and a lack of structure. Experts believe this perfect storm led to a widespread increase in problematic drinking and alcoholism.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a time of unknowns. It brought confusion, anxiety, fear, boredom, isolation and a lack of structure. Experts believe this perfect storm led to a widespread increase in problematic drinking and alcoholism.
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Every social media platform featured pandemic drinking games, tips for cocktails to have with friends over Zoom and alcohol-centred creative content and trends.
Chevrier said she believes this promotion of drinking was meant to lighten people’s mental load and thinks content creators outside of the alcohol industry had good intentions.
Lauren MacDonald, an addiction counselor and mental health therapist in Regina, said the amount of calls she got shot up during the pandemic.
Dr. Tim Naimi, a physician and director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, said even though time will show a fuller picture of the extent of the damage, it’s clear that overall alcohol consumption increased during the pandemic.
“A lot of provinces and territories saw tremendous rollbacks in important safeguards and public policies, particularly around the physical availability of alcohol,” he said.
In a statement to CBC, the province said it now allows alcohol to be sold for takeout and delivery as part of a food order from a restaurant on a permanent basis.
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