Americans started drinking more during endless COVID-19 lockdowns

OPINION:

When COVID-19 hit the U.S., effectively closing down all the fun places like music and sports venues, movie theaters, and even bowling alleys, Americans discovered a new hobby to pass the time: drinking.

Well, let’s face it, many Americans were already guilty of enjoying a drink or two too many. According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, women can have one drink a day, while men can handle two drinks a day.

But some doctors argue that there’s actually no safe amount of alcohol that can eliminate the risks it carries. Regardless, Americans turned to the bottle during the endless lockdowns.

In fact, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, which is part of the esteemed National Institutes of Health, stated in its latest “surveillance report” that in 2021, the average American consumed a staggering 2.51 gallons of ethanol from all alcoholic beverages combined.

That was a 2.9% increase from the 2.44 gallons in 2020 and a 5.5% increase from the 2.38 gallons in 2019. And get this, folks: This is the biggest bump in two years since 1969.

Yes, you heard that right. It’s like a throwback to the flower power days. The increase in alcohol consumption came mainly from hard liquor. Talk about spirits being high.

The stats show that between 2020 and 2021, alcohol consumption shifted across the country. In 37 states and the District of Columbia, it went up. In 10 states, it went down. And in three states, it stayed the same.

Now, let’s look at the big picture regionally. The Northeast saw a 5.4% surge, the Midwest had a modest 1.6% increase, the South boasted a 3.4% rise, and the West showed a more respectable 2.3% boost. Ah, the pandemic really brought people closer together … over drinks!

But there’s more to this boozy story.

In 2021, some states set themselves apart when it came to their love affair with alcohol. In 17 states and the District of Columbia, per capita annual alcohol consumption was more than 10% above the overall national level. That’s over 2.76 gallons, to be precise. Five states had per capita consumption between 10% and just under the national level, which means they were sipping between 2.51 and 2.76 gallons.

Fifteen states, on the other hand, drank below the national level but still stayed within 10% of it, consuming between 2.26 and 2.51 gallons. And finally, in 13 states, consumption was more than 10% below the national level, making it lower than 2.26 gallons. So there you have it — your geography lesson with shots on the side.

But let’s not forget the impact on mental health.

“Several studies have now shown that solitary drinking increased as a result of the pandemic,” said Kasey Creswell, an associate professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. Now, this is a bit alarming. It turns out that drinking alone at home became a thing.

And get this: Studies found that it’s particularly concerning for young women. Apparently, they’re more likely to face alcohol-related problems when they sip solo. It’s a party of one, but not the good kind.

And wait, hold the phone. There’s been an increase in solitary drinking among adolescent girls. Looks like their idea of a good time involves a bottle and maybe a Netflix binge.

So, as we raise our glasses to survive this unprecedented era, let’s remember that when life served us lemons, we made lemonade — a spiked one, to be precise.

Cheers to resilience! Just make sure not to overserve yourself. That’ll just make things worse.

• Joseph Curl covered the White House and politics for a decade for The Washington Times. He can be reached at josephcurl@gmail.com and on Twitter @josephcurl.