No party, no drugs? Use of stimulants, dissociative drugs, and GHB/GBL during the early COVID-19 pandemic.
The International journal on drug policy April 1, 2022 Antonia Bendau, Leonard Viohl, Moritz Bruno Petzold et al.
During the early COVID-19 pandemic, use of party drugs (stimulants, dissociatives, GHB/GBL) shifted substantially. Among 1,231 users surveyed, 48.0–64.8% ceased or decreased use, 11.9–25.5% maintained, and 23.6–29.1% increased consumption. MDMA/ecstasy showed the strongest decrease; GHB/GBL and dissociatives the highest increase. Price, quality, and supply remained mostly unaffected. Mood-related motivations (e.g., feeling exhilarated or high) were common before and during the pandemic, but social and mood-related reasons declined while coping with boredom rose. 16.4–35.6% found drug use helpful for pandemic-related stressors, which was linked to increased consumption. The findings suggest that users who increased use as a coping strategy may need targeted preventive measures.