GLP-1 drugs may lower odds of developing substance use disorders
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- Reviewed by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
While increasing research has examined the effects of GLP-1 medications on alcohol use disorder, other evidence indicates the medications - prescribed for diabetes and weight loss - may have a broader effect on addiction. That's the finding of a study published March 4, 2026, in The BMJ, which suggests GLP-1s are linked with lower risks of developing substance use disorders involving cannabis, cocaine, nicotine, or opioids.
Researchers analyzed medical records from 606,434 US veterans (average age 65; 90% men), all of whom had diabetes and took either a GLP-1, such as semaglutide (Ozempic) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro), or an older diabetes drug called an SGLT-2, such as empagliflozin (Jardiance). Using the data, the researchers simulated seven clinical trials that compared the apparent effects of GLP-1s and SGLT-2 medications on people with existing substance use disorders, as well as whether the medicines could help prevent such disorders from developing.
Participants who started using a GLP-1 were 14% less likely to develop a substance use disorder over the next three years than participants using an SGLT-2. Among participants who already had addiction, GLP-1 drugs were associated with significantly fewer complications such as overdose, hospitalization, emergency visits, and drug-related deaths.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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