Los Angeles Times (2/8, Cahan) reports, “As the pandemic sends thousands of recovering alcoholics into relapse, hospitals across the country have reported dramatic increases in alcohol-related admissions for critical diseases such as alcoholic hepatitis and liver failure.” The Times adds, “Specialists at hospitals affiliated with the University of Michigan, Northwestern University, Harvard University and Mount Sinai Health System in New York City said rates of admissions for alcoholic liver disease have leapt by up to 50% since March.”

Related Links:

— “As alcohol abuse rises amid pandemic, hospitals see a wave of deadly liver disease “Eli Cahan, Los Angeles Times, February 8, 2021

The Wall Street Journal (2/6, Drexler, Subscription Publication) reported that while some people have consumed more alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic, others have decided to give it up entirely in order to avoid the risk of becoming a problem drinker.

Related Links:

— “Giving Up Alcohol in the Era of Covid-19 “Peggy Drexle, The Wall Street Journal, February 6, 2021

The New York Times (2/6, Harel) reported, “Lots of people seem to be smoking again or more during the pandemic, if anecdotal evidence and preliminary sales figures for tobacco products are any measure.” The New York Times quoted several people describing how being stuck inside, isolated, and stressed has led them to start smoking again or smoke more than they were before the pandemic.

Related Links:

— “Smokers Might Be Lighting Up More “Monica Corcoran Harel, The New York Times, February 6, 2021

Healio (2/5, Gramigna) reported,Over 20% of teens and young adults in the United States prescribed a psychoactive medication “reported misusing that drug,” researchers concluded in a study that “sought to evaluate prevalence and correlates of medical use and misuse of psychoactive prescription medications among 110,556 youth and young adults aged 12 to 25 years in the U.S.” The findings were published in the January issue of Family Medicine and Community Health.

Related Links:

— “Many teens and young adults misuse prescribed psychoactive drugs “Joe Gramigna, Healio, February 5, 2021

Healio (2/4, Michael) reports, “Transgender adults have a higher prevalence of substance use disorder diagnoses compared with cisgender adults,” researchers concluded after conducting “a cross-sectional analysis of data from the OptumLabs Data Warehouse, which include claims from individuals insured commercially or through Medicare Advantage in 2017 who had at least five medical claims reported that year.” Included in the study were data on “a total of 15,637 transgender adults” who were “matched 3:1 with 46,911 cisgender adults based on age and geographic information.” The findings were published online Feb. 4 in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Transgender adults more likely to be diagnosed with substance use disorders “Erin Michael, Healio, February 4, 2021