Ozempic could hold promise for treating addiction, but many unknowns remain

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic, may help people quit smoking, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that people taking the drug for diabetes who also smoked were 32% less likely to seek medical care for tobacco addiction than those taking other drugs.

The study is observational, which means it doesn’t establish a causal link. It’s possible, for example, that the drug makes patients less likely to seek medical care for any issue, rather than making them more likely to quit smoking. But there is other evidence to suggest semaglutide drugs influence will power, addiction, and impulse control, including affecting alcohol consumption and gambling.

But much more research is still needed, and crucially, more understanding of how the drug works.