Alcohol, nicotine and more — could drugs like Ozempic curb the desire for vices? – CBC

Scientists don’t have a clear explanation, but they’re testing some ideas

Oct 21, 2025

Ever since he got out of the navy, Michael McCluskey, 61, was known as a heavy drinker. He averaged between four to five drinks a night. Even having up to 10 drinks was “not an unusual event,” he says.

But all that changed four years ago, when he started taking Ozempic for weight loss. Along with 110 pounds, McCluskey lost his appetite for alcohol — quickly and simply. Nowadays, he drinks twice a year — when he hosts sci-fi conventions.

“It’s just like a switch flipped in my head,” said the Dartmouth, N.S., man. “There’s no desire. That’s just it.”

His story isn’t unique. Studies combing through past patient data have made a similar link between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist drugs (GLP-1 RAs) like Ozempic, and a loss of appetite for more than just food. GLP-1 RAs have been linked with people wanting and consuming less of all kinds of vices, whether it’s alcohol, nicotine, cannabis or opioids. One study looking into social media posts suggested people cut down on habits like caffeine use and compulsive shopping, too.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-addiction-research-9.6945310