Effect of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor Agonist Stimulation on Smoking Consumption in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Diabetes has become an increasingly serious global health issue. In 2024, approximately 537 million adults were living with diabetes, and this number is projected to rise to 783 million by 2045, representing a 46% increase. Against the backdrop of a growing global diabetes epidemic, smoking among individuals with diabetes poses a significant threat, further exacerbating clinical and public health burdens. Despite over 50 years of tobacco control efforts, smoking remains one of the greatest public health threats in history, causing more than 8 million deaths annually worldwide. Among these, over 7 million deaths result from direct tobacco use, while approximately 1.3 million deaths are attributed to secondhand smoke exposure. Recent studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of developing prediabetes and diabetes. Moreover, individuals with diabetes who smoke have a higher risk of all-cause mortality, worsened chronic diabetic complications, an increased likelihood of developing cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and greater difficulty in glycemic control. Despite substantial evidence highlighting the detrimental effects of smoking on individuals with diabetes, national surveys from the 1990s indicated similar smoking prevalence rates between individuals with and without diabetes (27.3% and 25.9%, respectively). Although various smoking cessation methods are available, the success rate of quitting remains low, necessitating novel intervention strategies. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. They exert hypoglycemic effects by stimulating insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner, inhibiting glucagon secretion, enhancing glucose uptake in muscle and adipose tissue, suppressing hepatic glucose production, delaying gastric emptying, and reducing appetite. Existing studies suggest that GLP-1 influences the brain's reward system, and GLP-1RAs have been shown to reduce nicotine dependence