Toronto has basically just turned into a giant ad for Ozempic

Whether it's tuning into a baseball game on the weekend, waiting for the streetcar after work, or catching a flight out of town, it seems like Toronto residents can't escape the presence of Ozempic advertisements just about everywhere.

Semaglutide, which is sold under the name Ozempic, is an anti-diabetic medication that's used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The insulin regulator was developed by Danish pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, and its main side effect is weight loss. 

Not ozempic sponsoring the blue jays pic.twitter.com/FDkerqdjNS

— claire (@clarifyyoself) April 29, 2023

Videos tagged with #ozempic have amassed hundreds of millions of views on TikTok, with many even accusing A-list celebrities and the uber-wealthy of discretely using the drug to shed weight. 

The Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. has even reported an ongoing shortage of the medication as the Ozempic craze has taken over. 

riding the ozempic streetcar pic.twitter.com/NPEMU6sBQm

— kristin (@jkac) June 1, 2023

Just last month, Canada's federal health minister announced that he would work alongside other provinces to prevent mass exportations of the drug after thousands of doses were shipped from B.C. to the United States by a Texas-based doctor. 

landed in toronto. ozempic ads in the airport within 60 seconds of arrival plus ozempic bus ten minutes later pic.twitter.com/zTY9Lml8OO

— will 🫀 (@thebends1995) May 24, 2023

The doctor wrote 17,000 prescriptions for the medication that were filled by pharmacies in B.C. and subsequently mailed out to American patients. 

The ads for the Blue Jays games have been unhinged this year. If you watch 80+ games there’s a good chance you’re getting Ozempic face and a crippling gambling addiction

— spencer🦕 (@Spenred) April 15, 2023

Over the past few months, more and more Torontonians have noticed advertisements promoting the prescription medication pop up around the city in places you'd least expect, although it's not exactly clear why.

I have never seen as many ozempic ads as I have in the Billy Bishop airport in Toronto. Huh.

— Robyn Caplan (@robyncaplan) May 29, 2023

Based on the number of tweets on social media, it looks like most people are coming face-to-face with Ozempic ads either at Blue Jays games or the airport. 

The drug — like many others — is not without a long list of side effects that shouldn't be taken lightly. Side effects can include swelling/redness/itching at the injection site, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and in severe cases, pancreatitis or thyroid tumours.