Why booze can be bad in a lockdown

Editor's note

We’re all searching for ways to alleviate coronavirus stress and confront the boredom of being trapped inside for weeks on end. But while alcohol has long been a popular coping mechanism, there’s a risk many of us may be hitting the quarantinis a little too hard.

Sales of wine, beer and spirits have spiked as some states declare liquor stores “essential” and loosen booze-delivery laws. Boston University’s David H. Jernigan has spent 30 years studying the link between alcohol policy and public health and warns that drinking habits being formed now will lead to problems down the line.

And with bars and restaurants shut, the move to drinking at home carries a more immediate risk: a rise in domestic violence. University of South Florida criminologist Shelly Wagers examines the pattern of increased domestic abuse in countries with social distancing lockdowns.

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Matt Williams

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