Cmaj Podcasts

Send us a textA new CMAJ study has found that alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths in Canada surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. While overall alcohol consumption increased only modestly, the toll on the healthcare system was severe, with a 14% rise in hospitalizations and a 24% increase in deaths during the first two years of the pandemic. Researchers suggest that increased access to alcohol—through expanded retail hours and home delivery—contributed to these harms, particularly among heavier drinkers.Dr. Tim Stockwell, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research and an emeritus professor at the University of Victoria, discusses the study’s findings and why even a small rise in alcohol consumption can lead to a disproportionate increase in harm. He explains how heavier drinkers, already at risk, were pushed beyond critical health thresholds, contributing to the sharp rise in hospitalizations and deaths.Dr. Adam Sherk, a senior scientist at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and