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    Andrew Thurston is originally from England, but has grown to appreciate the serial comma and the Red Sox, while keeping his accent (mostly) and love of West Ham United. He joined BU in 2007, and is the editor of the University’s research news site, The Brink; he was formerly director of alumni publications. Before joining BU, he edited consumer and business magazines, including for corporations, nonprofits, and the UK government. His work has won awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, the In-House Agency Forum, Folio:, and the British Association of Communicators in Business. Andrew has a bachelor’s degree in English and related literature from the University of York. Profile

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There are 8 comments on Alcohol Consumption Has Spiked during the Pandemic. Could the Consequences Outlast the Coronavirus?

  1. Liquor stores were deemed essential cause of the alcohol addiction and the withdrawal that comes with it. If they closed the liquor stores there would have been more deaths and also not enough hospital beds to care for the sick. Definitely a problem but taxes and higher prices are not the answer.

  2. Moderate alcohol consumption is fine and part of most of our lives. Personally, life wouldn’t be the same without a few drinks now and again. We do need to be aware, however, that the line between ‘moderation’ and ‘abuse’ can be blurry and different for everyone.

    Education is key. For the younger generation, it’s important to realize that the Athlete having a post workout Michelob Ultra is only marketing. Keeping it real and keeping it moderate are critical.

    The death-stage of chronic alcohol abuse is not a pretty picture. I can tell from first hand observation that if the final-stage visual replaced the Michelob guy in the Marketing, every distributor would be out of business in a week.

    1. I agree, education is key. Moderation is key. Honestly, this article annoys me because they aren’t address the real issues. To me, they’re deflecting.

      What about the terrible food we eat and give to our children? I understand that alcohol can contribute to heart disease but I’m willing to guess that lack of exercise and diet is a far more significant factor in our number one killer.

      But my real point is that alcohol abuse is almost like a symptom. You can’t address a mental health crisis by making alcohol less affordable and less available. You need to address the root of the problem. I’m no expert but what about childhood trauma, adverse childhood experiences and depression and those types of things. Those are urgent public health issues worth addressing. Address those and maybe people will enjoy drinks in moderation or stop turning to drugs. I realize these are complex issues and they can’t be simplified but this article missed the mark for me.

  3. Systemic racism, really?

    It’s simply because alcohol is the most socially acceptable and easily obtainable drug. Opioids are not.

    No racism here.

  4. “Less affordable, less available” – sounds like a pretty miserable place to be. Maybe if the public health officials really wanted to tackle the spike in alcohol abuse over the last year they’d stop recommending draconian and arbitrary pandemic measures that the numbers tell us clearly aren’t working.

  5. Alcoholism is described as a compulsive need for a narcotic beverage prepared from a fruit or fermented grain. Wine, beer, whiskey, gin, rum, and other alcoholic beverages fall within this category. When someone has an alcohol addiction, they have a strong need to consume alcohol and are unable to control their usage. If the individual is not provided alcohol at regular intervals, they are labeled as an alcoholic and experience withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, anxiety, and nausea. Visit https://www.theretreatnz.org.nz/

  6. There is a huge difference between binge drinking and a glass of wine at dinner. The construction industry ranks second in the number of diagnosed disorders caused by substance and alcohol use last year. Because of Local Law 196 of 2017, New York City now requires construction workers at most major worksites in the five boroughs to receive at least 30 hours of Site Safety Training (SST) including The 2 Hour Drugs and Alcohol Awareness class https://www.ablesafety.com/course/2-hour-drug-and-alcohol-awareness

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