Booze vs. Boredom: 1 In 3 Floridians Turned To Hard Liquor During COVID Lockdown
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – When Florida, and the rest of the nation went into lockdown during the start of the coronavirus pandemic, bars were shutdown. But that didn't stop Floridians from consuming their alcoholic spirits as drinkers resorted to making their own 'quarantinis.'
According to AlcoholRehab.com, a provider of alcohol and drug addiction treatment resources, liquor sales increased by 34.1%, while wine sales increased by 30.1% and beer sales went up by 12.6%.
In addition, the survey found 34% of Floridians say boredom led them to experiment with stronger liquors, other than wine and beer, since the start of the pandemic.
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Broken down across the country, this figure was highest in Tennessee with 62% saying boredom prompted them to experiment with stronger alcoholic drinks. Comparatively, Idahoans were least experimental with just 8% abandoning their beers.
Additionally, nearly 1 in 5 (17%) people said their alcohol tolerance has increased since the start of lockdown.
Increased tolerance means increased amounts are needed to produce the same effect. This could contribute to the development of alcohol dependence, organ damage, ineffectiveness of certain medications and increased risk of alcoholism.