Overview
- The analysis followed nearly 600,000 U.S. veterans with type 2 diabetes for three years, comparing GLP-1 recipients with patients prescribed SGLT-2 inhibitors.
- The GLP-1 group showed fewer new cases of problematic use across alcohol, nicotine or tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, opioids and other substances.
- Researchers reported a consistent cross‑substance signal but emphasized that the observational approach cannot prove causation.
- An accompanying BMJ commentary by biostatistician Fares Qaedan advises keeping established addiction treatments as standard care, with potential preference for GLP-1s over other antidiabetics in at‑risk patients.
- Medications referenced include semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Zepbound), widely used for diabetes and now obesity treatment.