Shifts in Drug Use Behavior Among Electronic Dance Music Partygoers in New York During COVID-19 Social Distancing

Palamar, Joseph J.; Le, Austin; Acosta, Patricia

doi:10.1080/10826084.2020.1857408

Cited by 20 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 32 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Decreased use of illicit drugs often used in recreational settings (e.g. MDMA, cocaine) and, predominantly for reasons related to impacts of restrictions on socializing, aligns with other Australian [ 18 ] and international research [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. COVID‐19 restrictions have arguably functioned as a demand reduction intervention, driving behaviour change for some individuals by removing social motives for drug use through limits on gatherings.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 62%

Changes in illicit drug use and markets with the COVID‐19 pandemic and associated restrictions: findings from the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System, 2016–20

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aims To describe (i) self‐reported changes in drug use and (ii) trends in price, perceived availability, and perceived purity of illicit drugs, among people who regularly use ecstasy/ 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and other illicit stimulants in Australia following COVID‐19 and associated restrictions. Design Annual interviews with cross‐sectional sentinel samples conducted face‐to‐face in 2016–19 and via video conferencing or telephone in 2020. Data were collected via an interviewer‐administered structured questionnaire. Setting Australian capital cities. Participants Australians aged 16 years or older who used ecstasy/MDMA and other illicit stimulants on a monthly or more frequent basis and resided in a capital city, recruited via social media and word‐of‐mouth ( n ~ 800 each year). Measurements Key outcome measures were self‐reported illicit drug market indicators (price, purity and availability) and, in 2020 only, perceived change in drug use (including alcohol and tobacco) since March 2020 and reasons for this change. Findings For most drugs, participants reported either no change or a reduction in their use since COVID‐19 restrictions were introduced. Ecstasy/MDMA was the drug most frequently cited as reduced in use ( n = 552, 70% of those reporting recent use), mainly due to reduced opportunities for socialization. While market indicators were largely stable across most drugs, the odds of perceiving MDMA capsules as ‘high’ in purity decreased compared with 2016–19 [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.53–0.99], as did perceiving them as ‘easy’ to obtain (aOR = 0.42, CI = 0.26–0.67). The odds of perceiving cocaine and methamphetamine crystal as ‘easy’ to obtain also decreased (aOR = 0.67, CI = 0.46–0.96 and aOR = 0.12, CI = 0.04–0.41, respectively). Conclusions After COVID‐19‐related restrictions were introduced in Australia, use of ecstasy/MDMA, related stimulants and other licit and illicit drugs mainly appeared to remain stable or decrease, primarily due to impediments to socialization.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 62%

Changes in illicit drug use and markets with the COVID‐19 pandemic and associated restrictions: findings from the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System, 2016–20

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Changes in the use of psychoactive substances can be influenced by various pandemic-related factors ( EMCDDA, 2020 ). Firstly, the measures intended to contain thespread of the virus, such as the stipulations for social distancing and the temporary closure of bars, clubs, gatherings, festivals, and other events, massively limited the opportunity to use drugs in social, recreational settings ( EMCDDA, 2020 ; Palamar et al, 2020 ). This seems to have particularly affected substances commonly used in this context, such as MDMA and cocaine ( EMCDDA, 2020 ; Palamar et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No party, no drugs? Use of stimulants, dissociative drugs, and GHB/GBL during the early COVID-19 pandemic

Bendau

Viohl

Petzold

et al. 2022

International Journal of Drug Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background : The COVID-19 pandemic is presumably having an impact on the consumption of psychoactive substances. Social distancing and lockdown measures may particularly affect the use of “party drugs” (e.g., stimulants, dissociatives, and GHB/GBL) through the absence of typical use settings. We aimed to analyse the use patterns of those substances and underlying motivations before and during the pandemic. Methods : A subsample of 1,231 users of stimulants (amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA/ecstasy, cocaine), dissociative drugs (ketamine, dextromethorphan, PCP), and GHB/GBL was assessed from 30 th April to 4 th August 2020 as part of the Corona Drug Survey , a cross-sectional international online survey in five languages that included a total of 5,049 participants. The reported use of distinct substances and the underlying motivations were ascertained before (retrospectively) and during the pandemic. Furthermore, associations between drug use as a coping mechanism, pandemic-related stressors, and substance use were examined. Results : Regarding the reported frequency of use during the pandemic, 48.0–64.8% of the sample ceased or decreased, 11.9–25.5% maintained, and 23.6–29.1% increased their consumption. MDMA/ecstasy showed the strongest decrease and GHB/GBL and dissociatives the highest increase. Participants reported that price, quality, and supply were mostly unaffected by the pandemic. The most common motivations before and during the pandemic were mood-related factors, such as a desire to feel exhilarated, euphoric, high, or buzzed. The relevance of social purposes and mood-related motivators declined during the pandemic, whereas dealing with boredom increased. Overall, 16.4–35.6% perceived drug use as helpful for dealing with pandemic-related stressors, which were associated with an increased consumption frequency. Conclusion : The early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with major changes in the use of “party drugs”. Those who increased their level of drug use and perceived it as a coping strategy in particular might be targeted with adaptive preventive and therapeutic measures.

show abstract

“…(11)]. Research into changing patterns of substance use is less common and often limited to alcohol and/or tobacco (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24); some studies (also) look into changes in the use of cannabis (25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30), but few were found that included other drugs like "party drugs" that tend to be predominantly used in social contexts affected by the coronavirus measures (31)(32)(33).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing Patterns of Substance Use During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Self-Reported Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Cannabis, and Other Drugs

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As in many other countries worldwide, the coronavirus pandemic prompted the implementation of an “intelligent lockdown” in the spring of 2020 in the Netherlands, including the closure of nightlife venues and cancellation of festivals. Such restrictions and social distancing could particularly affect people who use alcohol or other drugs in recreational settings and give rise to new challenges and additional needs in the field of addiction prevention and care. To monitor changes in substance use and provide services with practical directions for tailored prevention, an anonymous web survey was set up, targeting a convenience sample aged 16 years or older through various social media and other online channels. Between May and October 2020, a total of 6,070 participants completed the survey, mainly adolescents and young adults (16–24 years old). These data were used to explore and describe changing patterns in substance use. Overall results showed declined current use compared to “pre-corona,” but mask underlying variation in changing patterns, including discontinued (tobacco 10.4%, alcohol 11.3%, cannabis 16.3%, other drugs 30.4%), decreased (tobacco 23.0%, alcohol 29.1%, cannabis 17.4%, other drugs 20.7%), unchanged (tobacco 30.3%, alcohol 21.2%, cannabis 22.3%, other drugs 17.3%), increased (tobacco 29.6%, alcohol 32.1%, cannabis 32.9%, other drugs 25.3%), and (re)commenced use (tobacco 6.7%, alcohol 6.3%, cannabis 11.1%, other drugs 6.2%). Especially the use of drugs like ecstasy and nitrous oxide was discontinued or decreased due to the lack of social occasions for use. Increased use was associated with coping motives for all substance types. As measures combatting the coronavirus may need to be practiced for some time to come, possibly leading to prolonged changes in substance use with lingering “post-corona” consequences, timely and ongoing monitoring of changing patterns of substance use is vital for informing prevention services within this field.

show abstract

Shifts in Drug Use Behavior Among Electronic Dance Music Partygoers in New York During COVID-19 Social Distancing

Cited by 20 publications

References 32 publications

Changes in illicit drug use and markets with the COVID‐19 pandemic and associated restrictions: findings from the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System, 2016–20

Changes in illicit drug use and markets with the COVID‐19 pandemic and associated restrictions: findings from the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System, 2016–20

No party, no drugs? Use of stimulants, dissociative drugs, and GHB/GBL during the early COVID-19 pandemic

Changing Patterns of Substance Use During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Self-Reported Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Cannabis, and Other Drugs

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About