Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM

Clinical Update

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Addiction Treatment: The Next Big Thing or Just Hype?

April 1, 2025

Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM and Noah Capurso, MD, MHS

Michael Weaver, MD, DFASAM. Professor and Medical Director, Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction at the University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX.

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS. Assistant Medical Director, Addiction Services Division, Connecticut Valley Hospital; Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University; Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report.

Drs. Weaver and Capurso have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

GLP-1 agonists have taken the world by storm, especially for weight loss—but emerging evidence suggests they may also play a role in addiction treatment. In this article, we review the latest research to highlight when these medications might offer the greatest benefit for patients with substance use disorders.

Clinical Update

Overview of Stimulants

October 1, 2024

Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM and Noah Capurso, MD

Michael Weaver, MD, DFASAM. Professor and Medical Director, Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction at the University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX.

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS. Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University, and Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report.

Drs. Weaver and Capurso have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

This article offers an insightful overview of the pharmacology of various stimulant drugs, their potential for misuse, and the dangers they pose—especially with rising overdose rates due to contamination with fentanyl. Learn about the history, various classes of stimulants, and the treatments available for stimulant use disorder, as well as the crucial harm reduction strategies aimed at minimizing risks.

Becoming a Board-Certified Addiction Clinician

January 1, 2019

Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM

Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM

Professor and medical director at the Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addictions at the University of Texas Medical School. Author of Addiction Treatment (Carlat Publishing, 2017). Dr. Weaver has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Patients with addiction are common in psychiatric or any other practice. You’re going to see patients who have these issues, so it’s good to be prepared and able to focus on treating addiction, as well as to be part of a growing group of specialists.

How to Treat Opiate Use Disorders

March 1, 2016

Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM

Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM.

Professor and medical director at the Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addictions at the University of Texas Medical School.

Dr. Weaver has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Opiate use disorder is increasingly common, and it is important to develop a systematic approach for treating it. In this article, I will discuss some of the more important elements of treatment, starting with the need to address patients’ denial and moving on to some of the nitty gritty aspects of medication-assisted treatment.