The last year and a half has been tough for all Australians. During these difficult times, particularly when in lockdown, it can be tempting to reach for that bottle of wine (or something harder) to deal with the boredom or stress of it all. Are Australians drinking more during the pandemic, as most people expect? While the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly changed Australia’s alcohol and drug habits, you might be surprised by what the data shows.
Are Australians drinking more?
When COVID-19 restrictions came into effect in March of 2020, there were some worrying signs that Australians were upping their alcohol use. A poll by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) in early April 2020 found 20% of households reported buying more alcohol – and of those, 70% reported drinking more since the pandemic began. This was supported by card spend data released by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, indicating that alcohol sales increased in March as restrictions were coming into place.
But you might surprised to know the surge in Australians’ pandemic drinking didn’t continue.
In May 2020, an ANU poll indicated that whilst 20% of Australians increased their alcohol consumption, more people said they actually reduced their drinking (27%). Woman were more likely to have increased their consumption compared to men.
The findings were backed up by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) surveys. One conducted at the start of May found nearly half (47.1%) of participants said their consumption of alcohol stayed the same since the pandemic began whilst 14.4% reported an increase in consumption and 9.5% reported a decrease. A follow-up in June 2020 found that most people reported that their alcohol consumption had stayed at the same level (71.5%) or decreased (14.7%) compared to before March 2020. Once again women (15.9%) remained more likely than men (12.1%) to report increased alcohol consumption.
Whilst most available data is for adults, there are indications that teenaged Australians also decreased their pandemic drinking. One survey of secondary school students found their alcohol consumption had decreased by 17% .
What about drug use?
Like early signs for alcohol, the measures for illicit drug use at the start of the pandemic were a cause for concern. The National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, which measures the presence of substances in our sewerage, indicated spikes in some illicit drugs early on in the pandemic. This included record high levels of methamphetamine (‘ice’) and heroin in regional areas in April 2020, and spikes in cannabis at most testing sites by August of 2020.
But survey data provides a more nuanced picture of consumption.
The ANU poll found that whilst 17.6% of respondents had increased their illicit drug use since the pandemic began, more than a quarter (26%) decreased their use. A separate study on illicit drug use collected data across three waves: 29 April to 15 June 2020, 29 June to 22 September 2020, and finally 19 October 2020 to 13 January 2021. It found that participants had mostly increased cannabis use during the pandemic, whilst use of other drugs (including MDMA, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin) either declined or stayed the same.
These results are supported by ongoing surveys of regular drug users. The Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS), which surveys people who regularly use ecstasy and other stimulants in Australia, found that most participants reported that their use of ecstasy either decreased (52%) or stayed the same (31%) as a result of the pandemic.
Similarly, the Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS), which surveys people who regularly inject drugs in Australia, found that 48% had decreased use of methamphetamine and 36% had decrease their use of heroin. Both surveys indicated an increased use of cannabis by people who regularly use drugs.
Are Australians still accessing drug and alcohol support services?
While the pandemic has seen increased demand for mental health services, COVID-19 restrictions have severely impacted the ability for alcohol and other drug services to meet the needs of clients.
The IDRS found that amongst people who regularly inject drugs, seeking help for their substance use was difficult. Among participants who were in treatment in the 6 months prior to interview, almost half (49%) reported disruption to their treatment.
Data on alcohol and other drug services in 2020 indicates an overall decrease in types of treatment delivered, hindered by the need for social distancing. Many services are now adapting well with telehealth options (via phone or Zoom) and finding other ways to increase availability – but it’s still an important reminder that even as the country begins to forge a path out of the pandemic, the disruption and impact to the lives of some Australians will need dedicated resources and attention to resolve.
Feel like speaking to someone about your alcohol or drug use? Call these state and territory-based services for over-the-phone counselling support, information and referrals:
ACT 02 5124 9977
NSW Sydney metropolitan 02 9361 8000 / Regional and rural NSW 1800 422 599
NT 1800 131 350
QLD 1800 177 833
SA 1300 131 340
TAS 1800 250 015
VIC DirectLine – 1800 888 236 (Counselling and referral) / DrugInfo – 1300 85 85 84 (Information)
WA 1800 198 024
