health
March 15, 2026
The Guardian view on weight-loss jabs and addiction: there is too much moralising about these remarkable medicines
Evidence is piling up that GLP-1 drugs can treat addiction. We must learn from the way that obesity has been stigmatised
TL;DR
- GLP-1 agonist drugs, used for weight loss, show promise in treating addictions by impacting brain reward pathways.
- There is a tendency to view obesity as a lack of willpower, contrasting with the medical view of addiction.
- The effectiveness of these drugs supports the idea that obesity is a biological issue, not solely a discipline problem.
- Stigma associated with weight-loss drugs mirrors past resistance to addiction treatments like methadone and suboxone.
- A more pragmatic approach, less focused on moral judgment, is needed for both obesity and addiction treatments.
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