Shifts in Drug Use Behavior Among Electronic Dance Music Partygoers in New York During COVID-19 Social Distancing

Abstract

Background: Little is known about how COVID-19-related social distancing has affected illegal drug use. We surveyed electronic dance music (EDM) partygoers—a population known for high levels of drug use—to determine whether their drug use patterns had changed during state-mandated social distancing in New York. Methods: Individuals were recruited online and screened for eligibility throughout April and May 2020. We surveyed 128 eligible adults and queried, retrospectively, whether their drug use behavior had changed during COVID-19-related social distancing. Results: Most participants reporting past-three-month use reported decreased frequency of use during COVID-19-related social distancing. Specifically, 78.6% reduced frequency of use of cocaine, 71.1% reduced frequency of use of ecstasy/MDMA/Molly, and 68.0% reduced frequency of use of LSD. Although some participants reported increased frequency of use of cocaine (7.1%), ecstasy (7.9%), or LSD (12.0%), 35.0% reported increased frequency of cannabis use. Most (66.7%) of those reporting cocaine use reduced the amount used. The majority of those reporting use of cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, and/or LSD reported that drug cost (80.0-84.0%) and drug quality (84.2-92.0%) did not change during social distancing. Having a college degree was associated with higher odds for decreasing frequency of cannabis use. Older participants (ages ≥23) were at lower odds for decreasing frequency of cocaine use, as were those earning >$500 per week, and participants who attended EDM events biweekly or more often were at higher odds for decreasing frequency of LSD use. Conclusions: Participants in this sample tended to reduce party drug use during COVID-19-related social distancing.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• cannabis
• ecstasy
• cocaine

Acknowledgements

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.

Additional information

Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01 DA044207 (PI: Palamar).