(New Philadelphia, Ohio) – The Tuscarawas County Anti-Drug Coalition is bringing attention to a drastic uptick in alcohol consumption amid ongoing stressors related to COVID-19.

According to statistics recently released by Nielsen, alcohol sales have skyrocketed when compared to this time last year.

• S. alcohol sales increased 55%
• Beer sales increased 42%
• Wine sales increased 66%
• Spirits sales such as tequila, gin, and pre-mixed cocktails increased 75%
• Online alcohol sales increased 243%

Prevention Action Alliance reports that unfortunately, alcohol seems to have become the go-to coping strategy for far too many, and it’s being further normalized through social media.

“We all recognize that the world has changed drastically due to COVID-19, but it is important that we continue to make healthy choices and lead by example for our children,” explained ADC Coordinator Jodi Salvo. “With everyone at home during this time, our kids are paying more attention and are more easily influenced by the decisions we make as parents and caregivers than ever before.”

While it is acceptable to have an occasional glass of wine or a mixed drink at home, so long as you are of age and cleared to do so by your doctor, pouring a drink to deal with stress increases the potential to experience problematic drinking.

According to the Mayo Clinic, drinking too much alcohol on a single occasion or over a period of time can cause significant health problems including weakened immune system. Weakening your immune system goes against everything we are all trying to accomplish during this time.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) indicates there are three levels of drinking, the later two of which are problematic:

Moderate Drinking: 1 drink per day for women of legal drinking age and up to 2 drinks per day for men of legal drinking age.

Binge Drinking: 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men – consumed within about 1 hours; or a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 percent or higher.

Heavy Alcohol Use: 4 drinks or more on any day for men or more than 3 drinks for women.

The ADC encourages community members to seek out healthy coping mechanisms such as taking a walk outdoors, meditating, and reaching out to friends and family via phone and video calls.

More information about the local work of the ADC, visit adctusc.org.