You see, both Polis and Hancock argued it was necessary to keep liquor and pot stores open to prevent people addicted to alcohol and marijuana from suffering withdrawals and heading to hospitals, where COVID patients were being prioritized. Notably, their decision backfired because more people began drinking more heavily during the pandemic. “There’s a lot of drinking out there right now,” said Dr. John Burton of the University of Colorado School of Medicine in February 2021. “As a consequence, places like liver centers and hospitals are already seeing more people coming in.”