Coping habits could cause health problems beyond pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic is an era-defining event. Behaviors have changed, and planning for the future is impossible. A survey by news website Poder360 estimates that at least 4 billion people around the world are currently in some form of self-isolation. On top of that, there are grim prospects for the global economy, which become bleaker by the week. In order to cope with the mix of a health crisis, imminent economic depression, and isolation, many are giving in to harmful habits that may well outlast the pandemic.

Data from other countries show a dramatic surge in alcohol and drug consumption during the pandemic, alongside a drop in exercise, with gyms and several public parks being closed. In the U.S., alcohol sales were up 55 percent late in March, according to Nielsen — and the legal cannabis market is soaring to record levels. In Russia, booze sales rose 65 percent in the very first week of isolation, after a gradual 45-percent drop between 2003 and 2016.

While Brazil has little consolidated data on alcohol and drug consumption, there are some clues to understand how the pandemic is affecting people’s behavior. The Brazilian Beverage Association has reported a 52-percent drop in revenue between March 15 and 30, but that figure may be misleading. Sixty-one percent of alcohol sales take place in bars and...