US Brits love nothing more than a beer or a cheeky glass of wine, but new research has revealed the prevalence of booze misuse across the country.
Brits continued to drink despite the lockdowns that were implemented due to the Covid pandemic.
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Despite pubs and bars being closed for around 31 weeks in 2020, the pandemic brought about an increase in the nation’s drinking habits.
Research from the rehab clinic, Delamere found that one in four (22 per cent) of adults had increased their alcohol consumption in the last year.
Experts found that people in Northern Ireland drank the most over the past 12 months, with 33% of respondents saying they had boozed. This is equivalent to three out of ten people.
The North East and West Midlands follow with 29% and 27% respectively.
It is 28% in Wales, London and Scotland at 24% and South East at 22%.
21% of Yorkshire residents and the Humber drink alcohol, while 16% and 19% respectively in the North West and South East.
Regions with the highest alcohol consumption
Below are the regions with the highest alcohol consumption in the UK – Northern Ireland topped the list with 33 per cent of people saying they had turned to drink in the last 12 months
- Northern Ireland – 33%
- North East – 29%
- West Midlands – 27%
- Wales – 28%
- Greater London – 24%
- Scotland – 24%
- South East – 22%
- Yorkshire and the Humber – 21%
- North West – 19%
- South West – 16%
One finding that the experts at Delamere said stood out the most is that fact that two thirds of Brits said that would sometimes drink alone.
Only five percent said that they never drank alone.
These results showed that Sheffield was home to more solo drinkers than Sheffield men.
Women have a different relationship to alcohol than men.
Women are more likely to rely on alcohol for extra confidence. A fifth (20%) say that they do it regularly.
You can take this quiz to see if you suspect you might have an issue with alcohol.
DRUG MISUSE
Aside from booze, many Brits turned to drugs over the last 12 months.
Many people were forced to stay indoors due to the pandemic.
Delamere experts found that cannabis is a central feature of many people’s daily lives. Seven per cent of UK citizens used it last year. This makes it the most popular drug in the UK.
But, this number could be higher as people, despite anonymity, are not willing to share if they use the drug.
One in ten Brits had used prescription drugs beyond their prescribed dosage, according to the survey.
Five percent of UK respondents purchased prescription drugs instead of getting them through a GP. Seven per cent also said they had ordered the medication from the dark web.
The largest prescription problems were found in Wales and London, the West Midlands, Edinburgh, and London.
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