How did COVID-19 affect drug seizures in the United States?
An analysis of drug seizures across five US regions found that marijuana and methamphetamine seizures initially dropped at the start of COVID-19 but rebounded sharply, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by August 2020.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Marijuana seizures decreased significantly through April 2020, then increased significantly through September 2020, peaking in August 2020 above pre-pandemic highs. Both the number and weight of marijuana seized exceeded pre-COVID levels. Fentanyl seizures increased overall without a COVID dip. No significant changes were detected for cocaine or heroin.
Key Numbers
Marijuana seizure decrease through April 2020 (β=-0.03, p=0.005); rebound through September (β=0.10, p=0.028); marijuana weight increase (β=0.40, p=0.001); fentanyl steady increase (β=0.05, p<0.001)
How They Did This
Joinpoint regression analysis of drug seizure trends from March 2019 through September 2020 across five High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas: Washington/Baltimore, Chicago, Ohio, New Mexico, and North Florida. Examined number and total weight of seizures.
Why This Research Matters
Drug seizures serve as a proxy for drug availability. The rebound in marijuana seizures above pre-pandemic levels suggests supply chains adapted quickly to pandemic disruptions, while fentanyl's uninterrupted increase signals ongoing escalation of that crisis.
The Bigger Picture
The divergent patterns across substances suggest different supply chain vulnerabilities. Marijuana and methamphetamine markets were temporarily disrupted by pandemic restrictions, while fentanyl supply appeared resilient. The marijuana rebound above baseline raises questions about whether pandemic-related stress increased demand.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Seizure data may reflect law enforcement activity levels rather than actual drug availability. Five regions may not represent national trends. Cannot directly measure consumption or use patterns.
Questions This Raises
- ?Did the surge in marijuana seizures reflect increased use, increased supply, or changes in law enforcement patterns?
- ?How did legalization status in different states affect these trends?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Marijuana seizures exceeded pre-COVID highs
- Evidence Grade:
- Observational analysis of administrative seizure data with appropriate statistical methods, but seizures are an indirect measure of drug use.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021 covering March 2019-September 2020; pandemic-era drug trends have continued to evolve.
- Original Title:
- Shifts in drug seizures in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Published In:
- Drug and alcohol dependence, 221, 108580 (2021)
- Authors:
- Palamar, Joseph J(9), Le, Austin, Carr, Thomas H, Cottler, Linda B
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03405
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did people use more marijuana during COVID?
The study cannot directly answer this since it measured seizures, not use. However, marijuana seizures exceeded pre-pandemic levels by August 2020, potentially reflecting increased supply or demand.
Why did fentanyl seizures not drop during COVID?
Unlike marijuana and methamphetamine, fentanyl seizures increased continuously through the pandemic, suggesting its supply chain was less affected by pandemic-related disruptions.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03405APA
Palamar, Joseph J; Le, Austin; Carr, Thomas H; Cottler, Linda B. (2021). Shifts in drug seizures in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.. Drug and alcohol dependence, 221, 108580. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108580
MLA
Palamar, Joseph J, et al. "Shifts in drug seizures in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.." Drug and alcohol dependence, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108580
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Shifts in drug seizures in the United States during the COVI..." RTHC-03405. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/palamar-2021-shifts-in-drug-seizures
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.