The first results have been released from the Global Drug Survey Special Edition On Covid-19, for which Hot Press is the official print partner. The confidential online survey is running until June 20 at https://www.globaldrugsurvey.com and takes roughly fifteen minutes to complete.
In its summary, the GDS team note that: "Covid-19's impact on the ability for drug cartels and dealing networks to import and distribute their products has been huge. From reduced air and sea freight and in some cases reduced access to precursors, it was always likely that after local reserves were depleted, changes in availability were likely to reduce access and impact on price and availability. While in some regions this has been the case, the true impacts of the reduction in supply have been buffered by possibly a parallel reduction in demand. For drugs where local production is available such as cannabis, use has increased, while for stimulant drugs such as cocaine and MDMA, the reduction in social gatherings has been protective. Overall, it seems that drug markets have been pretty robust and GDS predicts that following lockdown, many regions will be flooded by high purity drugs as dealers try to shift unsold stock and distribute stockpiles that had been prepared for the European summer."

Based on the 2,200 Irish submissions so far, the following has been gleaned:

Asked about how they're coping with the pandemic and related restrictions, 59.8% say "really well"; 38.1% say "with some things but not others"; and 2.1% say "not well at all."

Asked to mark Irish government leadership out of ten, Leo was given an 8. The lowest satisfaction level was the zero given to Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil and Boris Johnson's 4.

In the physical distancing department, Ireland at 89.5% is second only to New Zealand at 92% compliance. What appears key, though, is that only 44.2% of Irish people have self-isolated compared to the whopping 66.8% in New Zealand.

All 40,000 global respondents so far were asked, "Compared to before Covid-19 restrictions, has the number of days you drink in a typical week changed?"
13% said "Decreased a lot"; 12.5% "Decreased a little"; 29.6% "Stayed the same"; 30.5% "Increased a little"; 13.5% "Increased a lot"
Asked "Have you started drinking earlier in the day?" 31.4% responded "Yes" and 68.6% "No"

Moving on to the reasons for increased alcohol consumption and the consequences, 42.6% say "I have more time to drink"; 42% "I'm more bored"; 37% "I'm spending more time drinking with my partner and household"; 25.3% "More stressed and feeling anxious"; 19.8% "I'm more lonely"; 19.8% "more depressed"; 14% "I have larger amounts than usual at home"; 5.8% "I'm drinking more to cope with my partner or household"; 4.3% "I'm having difficulties accessing other drugs"; and 4.3% "I have more money to purchase alcohol."
As for the consequences, 14.8% say their finances are worse; 22.8% say their mental health is worse; 34% say their physical health is worse; 20% are enjoying drinking less; 9.8% say it's effecting their relationships; and 19.6% their work/study performance.
42% would like to be drinking less and are directed to the Global Drug Survey's http://drinksmeter.com for feedback on how to cut down.

Ireland comes top of the worldwide increase in binge drinking table with 22.9% of respondents here saying their binge drinking has "Increased a little" and 14.8% saying it's "Increased a lot." The respective UK figures of 22.2% and 10.9% are not dissimilar.

Cannabis use has "increased a lot" for 17.2% of global respondents and "decreased a lot" for 13.4%. 38.2% are smoking exactly the same amount.

48.6% of MDMA users are taking exactly the same amount as they were before lockdown suggesting supplies have remained steady. 3.7% say their use has increased and 26.9% that it's decreased a lot. 87.2% report there being less occasions where they usually use the drug.

Lockdown Cocaine use has increased a lot for 7.4% of global respondents; increased a little for 12.6%; held steady for 40.6%; decreased a little for 12.6%; and decreased a lot for 26.8%

Use of Benzodiazepines has increased a lot for 12.7%; increased a little for 22.5%; stayed the same for 46.7%; decreased a little for 7.3%; and decreased a lot for 9.8%.

There are still sixteen days left so, if you haven't already, head straight over to https://www.globaldrugsurvey.com