Gillian Kolla
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gilliankolla.bsky.social
Gillian Kolla
@gilliankolla.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, Memorial University & Collaborating Scientist, Canadian Institute on Substance Use Research, University of Victoria. Researching drug policy, harm reduction, social determinants of health
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
Our new study on outcomes among people accessing #SaferOpioidSupply is out in @thelancetph.bsky.social. This study builds on work published previously across the country reinforcing the real-world benefits of #SOS and highlighting important comparisons with methadone. 🧵
NEW ODPRN study finds that BOTH Safer Opioid Supply (SOS) & methadone improve health outcomes and play important complementary roles in responding to Canada’s drug toxicity crisis.

odprn.ca/research/pub...

#HarmReduction #SaferSupply
April 23, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
Thanks to @gilliankolla.bsky.social , Ahmed Bayoumi, Tony Antoniou, Sam Young, Ashley Smoke, and the
@odprn.bsky.social team for the support with this project!

Full article can be found here:
sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Comparing the effects of prescribed safer opioid supply and methadone in Ontario, Canada: a population-based matched cohort study
Prescribed safer opioid supply (SOS) programmes are novel harm reduction interventions. We examined health outcomes among people receiving SOS over ti…
sciencedirect.com
April 23, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
If you live in Ontario near any of the closed supervised consumption sites we need you to get trained in overdose response. Yesterday a colleague found someone overdosed in a door way, tried to revive them but they were already dead.
April 4, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
Say his name: Mahmoud Sleem. He was among 8 people killed today in an Israeli ceasefire violation, and was the 205th journalist killed in Gaza
March 15, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Our newest paper is out, a look at the program model for providing comprehensive substance use services in primary care. Much appreciation to our research partners at London Intercommunity Health Centre for the incredible work they do @andreasereda.bsky.social link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Comprehensive substance use services within primary care settings: The Safer Opioid Supply program at London InterCommunity Health Centre - Canadian Journal of Public Health
Setting This paper describes the Safer Opioid Supply (SOS) program, a public health intervention in London, Ontario, in response to the toxic unregulated drug supply which is driving the overdose cris...
link.springer.com
March 15, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
In the past two weeks 5 people from the south riverdale community here in Toronto have overdosed and died. That’s only who we know. Some neighbours, columnists, politicians rallied to close supervised consumption sites & safe supply -our communities not theirs are dying en masse. I feel 💔.
March 13, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
Listening to experts matters. Thanks to the insights from @gilliankolla.bsky.social and Salwa Musa about the successes of the Consumption and Treatment Site (CTS) run by Hamilton Urban Core. It saved lives and gave people hope. Shameful that the current Provincial government shut it down. #HamOnt
February 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Absolute must-read piece on the way media is manufacturing consent for forced treatment from Euan Thomson @drugdatadecoded.ca and Zoe Dodd @zoedodd.bsky.social breachmedia.ca/media-politi...
Media, politicians are rebranding coercion against drug users as ‘care’ ⋆ The Breach
Governments are using forced abstinence to hide their failures—and our biggest papers are helping them
breachmedia.ca
February 15, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
yeah the "investigation" and the leaked document are not about diversion but about pharmacies DEFRAUDING MSP by EXPLOITING the POVERTY of DRUG USERS

this article is some hot garbage

www.timescolonist.com/local-news/d...
Diversion of prescribed opioids ‘out of control’: B.C. doctor
More than 60 pharmacies have allegedly offered incentives to encourage doctors and patients to use their services to maximize their dispensing fees
www.timescolonist.com
February 8, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
Look at what was taken in “sweeps” of homeless encampments.

projects.propublica.org/impact-of-ho...
December 29, 2024 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
massive investment in accessible social housing to guarantee homes for all is the solution to mass homelessness

substance use and psychiatric injury are CONSEQUENCES of housing deprivation, not causes

people become homeless because the RENT IS TOO HIGH

theconversation.com/why-involunt...
Why involuntary medical admission and treatment won’t solve homelessness
The arguments made by advocates for involuntary medical admissions and treatment aren’t supported by science.
theconversation.com
November 16, 2024 at 11:47 PM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
still a work in progress, but for folks migrating over from twitter involved in drug policy, harm reduction and drug posting I have created a few things!

First up, starter pack - WIP

go.bsky.app/NS9aimz
November 10, 2024 at 5:58 PM
My colleagues and I wrote a piece on the evidence for safer supply programs, that also explores why the mounting body of research documenting the positive outcomes from safer supply programs is being ignored. nationalpost.com/opinion/coun...
Counterpoint: The evidence shows that safer supply drug programs work
Our research found that people receiving safer supply experienced fewer hospitalizations and emergency room visits. This can't be ignored
nationalpost.com
October 12, 2023 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
I don't think I've ever talked on Bluesky about why I hate the Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl.

Don't read any further unless you're prepared for uncomfortable truths about the "Nicest Guy in Rock", and his very substantial body count & subsequent cover-up.
September 16, 2023 at 10:12 PM
Reposted by Gillian Kolla
ICYMI: Part 1 blew open the commercial interests of a cohort of ON/AB/BC addiction doctors advocating against safe supply.

Part 2 details the kind of money we're talking about when we discuss "billing" by doctors at private addiction clinics.
www.drugdatadecoded.ca/p/part-2-mee...
Part 2 - Meet the physicians stonewalling safe supply
Where there's smoke: reaching deeper into commercial interests of physician signatories to an open letter blasting safe supply.
www.drugdatadecoded.ca
October 7, 2023 at 3:06 PM
Hey folks, I'm new around here, if you are one of my friends IRL or in the bad place, drop me a quick line so I can follow you here? Thanks!
October 7, 2023 at 7:10 PM