This research uses longitudinal data to investigate if illegal online drug purchases changed over time during the COVID-19 pandemic, and if these changes were primarily driven by users adjusting to market conditions or by a heightened level of pandemic-induced strain that could drive a greater demand for drugs. Data were collected across four waves between fall 2019 and fall 2021 using an online survey. Data showed an increase in reported online drug purchases across the waves, but the online drug purchases remained consistent for the first year of the pandemic, but increased by approximately 44% between the fall 2020 and fall 2021 when over 13 percent of the sample admitted to buying illegal drugs online. Strain was also related to buying illegal drugs online as those respondents who made illegal online purchased had an average of 5.2 strain events in the past 12 months compared to only 2.4 events among those who did not report purchasing illegal drugs online. However, the influence of strain on online purchases remained consistent across time. These results suggest that the increase in online drug purchases was primarily driven by users adapting to changing market conditions rather than the cumulative strains associated with the pandemic producing a greater effect on purchases. Policy implications are also discussed.

这项研究使用纵向数据来调查在 COVID-19 大流行期间非法在线药物购买是否随时间发生变化，以及这些变化是否主要是由用户适应市场条件或由大流行引起的压力加剧而可能导致更大的压力对药物的需求。使用在线调查在 2019 年秋季至 2021 年秋季之间的四波浪潮中收集数据。数据显示，报告的在线药品购买量有所增加，但在线药品购买量在大流行的第一年保持一致，但在 2020 年秋季至 2021 年秋季之间增加了约 44%，当时超过 13% 的样本承认在线购买非法药物。压力也与在线购买非法药物有关，因为那些进行非法在线购买的受访者平均有 5 人。过去 12 个月内发生 2 起紧张事件，而未报告在线购买非法药物的人中只有 2.4 起事件。然而，压力对在线购买的影响随着时间的推移保持一致。这些结果表明，网上药品购买量的增加主要是由于用户适应不断变化的市场条件，而不是与大流行相关的累积压力对购买产生了更大的影响。还讨论了政策影响。这些结果表明，网上药品购买量的增加主要是由于用户适应不断变化的市场条件，而不是与大流行相关的累积压力对购买产生了更大的影响。还讨论了政策影响。这些结果表明，网上药品购买量的增加主要是由于用户适应不断变化的市场条件，而不是与大流行相关的累积压力对购买产生了更大的影响。还讨论了政策影响。