The weight-loss drugs are linked with reduced rates of excess drinking and opioid overdoses, suggesting they may tamp down substance use cravings too.

Research from earlier this week is the latest to suggest that semaglutide and other GLP-1 drugs can help treat people's addiction to both opioids and alcohol.

Weight loss drugs have risen in popularity in the recent years, but a disconnect remains between those who need the drugs and those who can afford to buy them. Drugs like Ozempic, which isn’t available in New Zealand,

One of the most prominent medical developments in recent years has been the emergence of a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). The best known of these drugs is Ozempic,

In a huge new statistical analysis, researchers have found more evidence than ever that drugs like Ozempic can help curb alcohol and opioid addiction. Published in the journal Addiction, this new study saw researchers from Loyola University Chicago sift through more than 1.

The large study analyzed more 500,000 people with a history of opioid use disorder and more than 800,000 with alcohol use disorder. Results show that those who took Ozempic or a similar GLP-1 receptor agonist drug (which are approved to treat conditions such as type 2 diabetes or obesity) had a 40 percent lower chance of overdosing on opioids and a 50 percent lower risk of getting drunk compared to those who didn't take the medication.

The case that Ozempic (NVO) and other GLP-1 medications could help people with substance use disorders is getting stronger.