Now Council goes after ... Ozempic!?

Can’t stomach side effects, overuse

Forget the budget woes — the City Council is now worrying about another kind of belttightening.

A new bill being weighed by legislators would require health authorities to warn New Yorkers about the dangers of taking Ozempic and other similar drugs for weight loss.

The medications have become a hot diet fad, with celebs like Tracy Morgan, Oprah Winfrey, Amy Schumer and Elon Musk reportedly taking them to shed the pounds.

Boy George even called Ozempic a “wonder drug.”

But Councilwoman Julie Menin (D-Manhattan) is finding the medications hard to swallow — and is sponsoring legislation that would require the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to publish materials about the “negative consequences” of such drugs for “off-label use for weight loss.”

Those consequences include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, fatigue and hypoglycemia.

“We need to ensure that patients suffering from diabetes do not face difficulties accessing this drug due to the increased off-label use of these products solely for weight loss,” Menin told The Post.

“Moreover, there are serious health consequences associated with these medications and it’s important that the Health Department disseminate information so that individuals are well informed about these risks.”

Diabetes concerns

More than 1 million of the 8.5 million city residents are stricken with diabetes, exceeding 1 out of 10 residents. Data reveal that diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the Big Apple.

About 4 million people have taken Ozempic — and the similar drugs Wegovy and Mounjaro — for weight loss, according to data compiled by Menin’s office. The legislation doesn’t actually name the drugs that will fall under the law, but Menin said she was targeting Ozempic and similar drugs.

The bill will be reviewed first by the council’s health committee, whose chairwoman, Queens Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, has signed on as a co-sponsor.

Mayor Adams’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the bill.