People are using Ozempic to drink less. We already have FDA-approved drugs for that.

"To some extent, Americans are talking about alcohol more than ever. We're having open conversations about the negative health impacts of drinking. People are consuming less booze overall and examining strategies to moderate, even as each drink packs more punch. There is one aspect of alcohol we're still not talking about: addiction, and, more precisely, the medical treatments available to combat it. What's even odder - your doctor may not know much about them, either."

"Even as researchers examine the potential for GLP-1s such as Ozempic and Zepbound to reduce alcohol consumption, the most underappreciated story in alcohol use disorder isn't the promise of new drugs. It's why the ones we already have are so rarely used. There are three FDA-approved medications to treat AUD in the US: naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram. They've existed for decades, are effective for some people in reducing or stopping drinking, and, addiction physicians say, have few drawbacks."

"Just 2% of Americans with an alcohol disorder diagnosis receive approved medications for treatment, says Dr. Lorenzo Leggio, a senior investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. By comparison, 85% of people diagnosed with diabetes get approved treatments for it. These drugs aren't a panacea - like all medications, some things work for some people and not others. But they're an important tool in a toolbox to treat a condition that affects millions of Americans and takes thousands of lives each year."

Americans are increasingly aware of alcohol harms, drinking less overall while beverages become more potent. Interest in moderation is rising, yet addiction treatment remains neglected. Three FDA-approved medications—naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram—have existed for decades and can reduce or stop drinking for some people, with relatively few drawbacks. Only about 2% of Americans diagnosed with alcohol use disorder receive these medications, compared with roughly 85% treatment rates for diabetes. Medications for alcohol use disorder reduce the appeal of drinking. These drugs are not a cure-all but represent an important, underused tool in treating a life‑threatening condition.

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