More access, more deaths: alcohol’s impact in the COVID-19 pandemic

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A new CMAJ study has found that alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths in Canada surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. While overall alcohol consumption increased only modestly, the toll on the healthcare system was severe, with a 14% rise in hospitalizations and a 24% increase in deaths during the first two years of the pandemic. Researchers suggest that increased access to alcohol—through expanded retail hours and home delivery—contributed to these harms, particularly among heavier drinkers.

Dr. Tim Stockwell, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research and an emeritus professor at the University of Victoria, discusses the study’s findings and why even a small rise in alcohol consumption can lead to a disproportionate increase in harm. He explains how heavier drinkers, already at risk, were pushed beyond critical health thresholds, contributing to the sharp rise in hospitalizations and deaths.

Dr. Adam Sherk, a senior scientist at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, examines the policy decisions that shaped alcohol access during the pandemic. While economic considerations played a role, he notes that governments were also reluctant to introduce new restrictions on alcohol at a time when the public was already under significant strain. He argues that a more balanced approach is needed in future public health crises—one that allows reasonable access to alcohol but uses measures like increased pricing and decreased availability to moderate its impact on the healthcare system.

The findings underscore the need to rethink how alcohol policy is handled during public health emergencies—not just in terms of balancing health and economic interests, but also in managing public willingness to accept restrictions in times of crisis.

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