For US veterans with type 2 diabetes and a history of substance use, starting a GLP-1 drug (like Ozempic) may lower their chances of overdosing on drugs or having suicidal thoughts compared to starting a different diabetes drug called an SGLT-2 inhibitor.

For US veterans with type 2 diabetes, starting a GLP-1 drug (like Ozempic) might help lower the chance of developing addiction problems—like with alcohol, drugs, or smoking—over three years compared to starting a different diabetes drug called an SGLT-2 inhibitor.

For US veterans with diabetes and substance use issues, taking GLP-1 drugs (like Ozempic) might lower their chances of ending up in the ER, being hospitalized, or dying from substance-related problems compared to those taking a different diabetes drug called SGLT-2 inhibitors.

For US veterans with type 2 diabetes, taking GLP-1 drugs might help lower the chance of getting hooked on opioids over three years compared to another diabetes drug, SGLT-2 inhibitors — about 1 fewer case for every 1,000 people.

Starting diabetes drugs like semaglutide or liraglutide might lower the chance of developing substance use problems, and this seems to be true for people of different ages, weights, races, and types of the drug.

A few small studies have tested diabetes drugs like Exenatide and Dulaglutide in people with addiction, and while there’s not much data yet, it’s an area scientists are starting to explore.