It's not just obesity. Drugs like Ozempic will change the world

Safety and Long‑Term Effects

• GLP‑1 agonists (Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda, Mounjaro, exenatide, liraglutide) have been in diabetes care for ~10–20 years, with millions of users; several commenters argue the basic risk profile is now well-characterized.
• Known or suspected risks mentioned: pancreatitis, rare gastroparesis, possible thyroid cancer signals (animal data plus at least one cited human study). Others note that thyroid cancer is often treatable and may be outweighed by QALY gains from reduced obesity/diabetes.
• Some insist we should still keep a strong prior on unknown long‑term cancer or other risks, given many harms appear only after 10–20 years.
• First‑person reports include major appetite suppression, weight and blood sugar improvement, but also persistent abdominal pain that led one user to discontinue.

Regulation, Access, and History

• GLP‑1s became popular only after explicit obesity indications and newer, more convenient formulations; before that, daily injections and side effects limited use.
• Debate over the FDA: some see obesity approval as slow and over‑cautious; others defend caution using Thalidomide as a historical example.
• Off‑label use and compounding pharmacies are now widespread; tension noted between huge demand, compounding supply, and patent holders like Novo Nordisk.
• Comparisons drawn to earlier drug booms (amphetamines, barbiturates, benzos, opioids) that initially seemed miraculous but later revealed large social costs.

Lifestyle, Morality, and “Quick Fix” Concerns

• One camp: obesity is a massive, lethal public‑health crisis; any drug that safely cuts weight and cardiovascular risk is a clear win, even if taken lifelong.
• Another camp: celebrating a lifelong drug for a lifestyle‑driven condition is a sign of cultural failure and misaligned food systems; it risks discouraging structural reform and personal behavior change.
• Counterargument: many people’s overeating is more like addiction than choice; appetite‑taming drugs enable, not undermine, “personal responsibility.”
• Ongoing tension between viewing obesity as moral failing vs. biological/environmental trap; some object to moralizing, others to “medicalizing” lifestyle.

Wider Effects and Speculation

• Reports and early discussion of GLP‑1s reducing cravings for alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, and possibly easing anxiety/depression; causal mechanisms are unclear.
• Some imagine a broader class of “desire‑modifying” drugs; others worry about “mind control” or blunting normal desires.

Public Perception and Politics

• Noted irony: some communities that distrusted fast‑tracked COVID vaccines eagerly embrace GLP‑1s, despite both being relatively new.
• Thread shows both hype (“put it in the water”) and strong skepticism (“another pop‑culture wonder drug boom”) with uncertainty about long‑term societal impact.