Weight loss drugs may help lower the risk of addiction to substances such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and cocaine, according to a new study.
Researchers analyzed patient records from more than 600,000 individuals in a database maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The participants had an average age of about 65, and roughly 90% of them were men. All participants had Type 2 diabetes and were being treated with either GLP-1 drugs, commonly prescribed for diabetes and weight loss, or another class of diabetes medications known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2).
Using the dataset, researchers simulated seven clinical trials to examine the potential effects of GLP-1 drugs on substance use disorders. They assessed whether these medications could help people who already had substance use disorders and whether they might prevent such conditions from developing in those without a prior history.
The analysis found that people taking GLP-1 drugs had a lower risk of developing several substance-related disorders compared with those taking SGLT2 medications. Among individuals with no previous history of substance use disorders, GLP-1 treatment was linked to an 18% lower risk of alcohol-related disorders. The risk of cannabis use fell by 14%, cocaine by 20%, nicotine by 20%, and opioid use by 25%.
The medications also appeared to reduce serious outcomes among people who already used these substances. Weight loss drugs were associated with a 39% lower risk of overdose, a 31% reduction in emergency room visits, and a 50% lower risk of death related to substance use.
Overall, the findings showed that individuals with existing substance use disorders experienced fewer emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths linked to their condition while taking GLP-1 drugs. The results suggest that these medications could potentially play a role not only in treating alcohol use disorder but also in addressing a wider range of substance use disorders.
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June 19, 2026 16:46 ET Major central banks continued to dominate the economic news flow this week too, led by the Federal Reserve, as they announced their latest policy decisions. The Federal Reserve policy session was in focus as it was the first to be led by the new chief Kevin Warsh. In Europe, central banks of the U.K. and Switzerland announced their rate decisions. In Asia, the Bank of Japan drew attention for its policy moves, while data out of China threw some light on the state of the economy.