A study by the University of Otago has revealed how differently the COVID-19 lockdown has affected smokers in New Zealand, reports Medical Xpress.

The results of the study, which have been published in the international journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research, show that of 261 daily smokers, 45 per cent said the number of cigarettes they smoked increased from 10 to 16 a day.
One of the researchers conducting the study, Professor Janet Hoek said, "That's about two packs of cigarettes a week, which is a substantial and expensive increase."
According to Medical Xpress, the survey also revealed that 16 per cent of the daily smokers surveyed smoked fewer cigarettes and 39 per cent reported no change in their smoking habits.
The researchers pointed out that the response to the pandemic showed that there was a need to consider peoples’ mental well-being in the process.
"For obvious reasons, the pandemic response focussed on preventing the spread of COVID-19. However, as we plan for other disease outbreaks, we have an opportunity to consider well-being more broadly," said Professor Hoek. Another researcher, Dr. Susanna Every-Palmer said that people who felt distressed or lonely during lockdown were more likely to have smoked more