The Impact of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Pandemic on Substance Use in the United States.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been associated with dramatic increases in substance use, as marked by increased alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis sales. Lethal opioid overdoses also increased dramatically, especially during the initial phases of the epidemic when lockdowns and social isolation combined with increasing fentanyl contamination of the illicit drug supply resulted in more overdoses and fewer opportunities for rescue. Substance use, and especially inhalational drug use, increases the likelihood of both transmission and severe infection. Youth are especially vulnerable to substance use and have increased risk of long-term problems. These outcomes highlight the need for greater access to substance use treatment. Virtual treatment, which emerged as a promising format during the pandemic, may reduce access barriers. This article reviews trends in substance use during the pandemic, explores root causes of increased use and overdose, and examines the potential to increase treatment through virtual care, especially during future periods of disruption.

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© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [e-mail].

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Potential conflicts of interest. S. L. serves as an expert witness in the case against JUUL Labs, Inc. All other authors report no potential conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.