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Abstract: 

Could medications originally developed for diabetes and obesity transform the treatment of addiction? Drawing on a study of more than 600,000 patients and a growing body of animal, observational, and clinical trial evidence, Ziyad Al-Aly examines the surprising effects of GLP-1 drugs on cravings for alcohol, nicotine, opioids, cocaine, and cannabis. The findings suggest substantial reductions in overdoses, substance-related hospitalizations, deaths, and the development of new substance use disorders among patients taking these medications. While emphasizing that GLP-1 drugs are not yet approved for addiction treatment, the author explores their potential to reshape addiction medicine by targeting the brain's reward pathways rather than individual substances, while also identifying the important questions that future research must answer.

Keywords: GLP-1 Drugs; Substance Use Disorder; Addiction Treatment; Craving; Semaglutide; Opioid Use Disorder

Affiliations:  1: VA Saint Louis Health Care System.