Skip to main content

GLP-1s have transformed weight loss and diabetes. Is addiction next?

By NPR.org  
   March 11, 2026

There's new evidence that GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic can reduce the risk of addiction. A study of more than 600,000 veterans followed for up to three years found that those who started taking a GLP-1 drug for diabetes were about 15% to 20% less likely to misuse substances ranging from alcohol to opioids. The study, which appears in The BMJ, a medical journal, also found that GLP-1 drugs helped people with a history of substance use disorder. They were less likely to experience an overdose, drug-related hospitalization, drug-related death or suicide attempt.

Full story


Get the latest on healthcare leadership in your inbox.