How did the Dutch lockdown influence cannabis use and addiction?

Covid-19 lockdown measures introduced substantial psychosocial stressors in everyday life. Did changes in mental wellbeing lead to more cannabis use and more severe cannabis disorders? A study among near daily cannabis users concludes that while cannabis use increased at the group level, the effect of the first lockdown months on the addiction severity varied significantly between individuals. The Dutch lockdown measures came with social isolation and increased levels of worry concerning personal health and economic consequences. For many, sudden unemployment was the harsh reality. This increase in psychosocial stressors, combined with a reduction in alternative positive activities, led to strong concerns about the impact on vulnerable populations such as cannabis users. From previous research we know that job loss can lead to increased substance use and addiction, especially among young men. And particularly regular cannabis users commonly report stress and tension reduction as motives for use. Researchers from the University of Amsterdam investigated if the Covid-19 lockdown led to change in cannabis use and addiction problems. They invited a unique sample of cannabis users and non-cannabis-using controls, who completed a survey about their cannabis use prior to the pandemic, to complete an on-line survey about cannabis use just before and since lockdown and about other socio-psychological consequences of the lockdown. Increase in use but not in severity of addiction