(NewsNation) — Semaglutide, the active ingredient in the Type 2 diabetes drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, has also become a “miracle” weight loss drug for millions. And now, researchers suggest it might assist people trying to quit smoking or help curb more serious addictions like alcohol and opioids.
“Semaglutide was associated with a significantly lower risk for medical encounters for TUD (Tobacco Use Disorder) diagnosis compared with other anti-diabetes medications,” said the authors of the study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and the National Institute on Drug Abuse made that conclusion after examining the effects of semaglutide and seven other diabetes medications using the health records of nearly a quarter-million people in the U.S. over a five-year period beginning in 2017.
The authors say the data they examined suggests that fewer people treating Type 2 diabetes with a semaglutide-based drug sought help to quit smoking than people using other diabetes medications. They say the findings suggest the need for clinical trials to fully understand the possible link.
Tobacco use disorder is defined as an addiction that goes well beyond heavy smoking. The “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” lists several symptoms, including much heavier-than-normal tobacco use; using tobacco to the detriment of one’s job, home life or school; smoking even in places where it’s hazardous; and using tobacco to the point where no amount is enough to produce the desired effects.
While there is no definitive evidence that semaglutide and similar drugs can help treat addictions, more doctors are reporting that patients using them are having some success curbing addictive behaviors like shopping, skin picking, nail biting, gambling, cocaine, alcohol and cannabis.
The reports are frequent enough that two pharmaceutical companies, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, are actively exploring the anti-addiction potential of their products.