GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy may reduce the likelihood of violent criminal behaviour, according to new research that adds yet another unexpected potential benefit to a class of drugs already credited with tackling obesity, heart disease and addiction.
The study, published in the journal Criminology and carried out by researchers at Rutgers University, found that the well-established link between impulsivity and violent behaviour was around 62 per cent weaker among people who currently used GLP-1 medications compared to former users. The relationship between alcohol use and violent behaviour was around 52 per cent weaker among current users.
Crucially, the findings suggest the drugs do not eliminate impulsivity or alcohol consumption, but instead reduce the likelihood that those risk factors escalate into violence. “Our findings are consistent with these medications working like cognitive behavioural therapy, weakening the path from impulse to action rather than eliminating impulsivity itself,” said Christopher Thomas, an assistant professor at Rutgers University-Camden and co-author of the study.
Lead author Daniel Semenza said the findings had significant implications given how widely the drugs were now being prescribed. “The strongest finding in the study was that the well-established link between impulsivity and violent behaviour was substantially weaker among current GLP-1 users compared to former users,” he said. “As GLP-1 drugs become increasingly widespread, it is important to understand all of their potential behavioural effects, including those relevant to public safety.”
The research analysed data from a 2025 survey of 7,521 US adults, of which 821 had ever used a GLP-1 medication. Violent behaviour was self-reported using an “offending scale” measuring incidents such as fighting, assault and robbery. Current users were compared with former users to assess whether active use of the medication altered the relationship between risk factors and violent behaviour.
The mechanism is thought to relate to the drugs’ effect on the brain’s reward circuitry. Previous research has suggested semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, mimics the GLP-1 hormone and acts on brain structures that regulate dopamine signalling and motivation. By dampening dopamine spikes triggered by addictive substances, it blunts cravings for alcohol, nicotine and food — a process that may also reduce impulsive, reward-seeking behaviour more broadly.
Because the study was observational, the researchers cautioned that further work is needed to confirm whether GLP-1 drugs directly cause reductions in violent behaviour and to establish the precise mechanisms involved. The findings nonetheless extend the growing list of conditions these medications appear to influence beyond their original purpose of weight loss and blood sugar control.
