What do GLP‐1s have to do with psychology?

A physician friend who works with diabetes was prescribing GLP‐1 medications (glucagon‐like peptide agonists; brand names include Ozempic and Zepbound) targeted at diabetes and weight loss. These medicines reduce appetite in part by mimicking our satiety system — essentially, helping the body recognize earlier when it has eaten enough. Weight loss was happening for many of my friend's patients (as well as improving blood sugar and blood pressure). But one patient also noted offhand that he had lost his appetite for smoking cigarettes. Turned out he was not alone.