Reports suggest more people are drinking alcohol as a result of the pandemic and a new survey suggests Canadians are also smoking more pot.

Deloitte’s Global State of the Consumer Tracker has been monitoring Canadian’s anxiety levels, safety and well-being concerns, consumer travel sentiment, and new spending habits.

The survey found 29 per cent of Canadians who use cannabis say they are toking up more frequently than before the pandemic, while 16 per cent say they are new to pot use because of the pandemic.

More than half of Canadians, 51 per cent, said that are concerned about their physical well-being and 62 per cent are concerned about the health of their family.

These fears are having a significant impact on spending. Deloitte says essential purchases remain on the minds of most consumers, such as groceries, while bigger purchases have been put on hold.

The survey found 44 per cent of Canadians are delaying making large purchases and most are still saying no to international travel.

Only 11 per cent of Canadians are searching for travel deals, according to the Deloitte survey, with 17 per cent stating they would feel safe taking a flight now and six per cent planning to take a cruise in the next three months.

They remain divided on dining out, with 38 per cent of Canadians preferring to order food to their homes while 32 per cent prefer eating in a restaurant.

The survey has tracked a steady reduction in anxiety among Canadians over the past four weeks, from 18 per cent of respondents feeling “more anxious than the week previous” a month ago down to one per cent in the latest results on May 16.

Nearly half of Canadians, 45 per cent, plan to buy more local items in the future, even if they cost a little more.

Online purchases remain higher in the categories of footwear, books, and electronics.