IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON SUBSTANCE USE

Abstract

This study is conducted to find how the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on substance use.
The main aim of this study is to find out the prevalence of substance use- Heroine, Alcohol,
Tobacco, and Tablets (SP, N-10, WY) and if there is an economic change due to the pandemic.
Data were collected from 40 Inmates from Life Control Foundation Rehabilitation Centre for
Substance Abuse and Behavior Addiction, Ushoipokpi Thoubal District, Manipur by using
Random sampling method. Percentage and Chi-square were used as Statistical tools for the
analysis of data. The data were collected during December 2022. From the study, it is found
that 85% of respondents used substances more than once in a day and 2.5% once in a day before
the pandemic. 70% take substances in higher doses during the pandemic. Also 52.5%
experienced economic problems from the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be concluded that the
COVID-19 pandemic gave impact on substance use as well as family economic condition. The
pandemic might cause an increase in taking substances as a strategy to cope stress, anxiety,
loneliness because of pandemic.