This Hot Topics seminar on the health and social benefits of gardening took place on Wednesday 2nd September 2015. The event was inspired by HMP Rye Hill’s organic growing project, launched in May 2013 with Garden Organic, offering therapeutic horticultural intervention to offenders with a history of substance abuse.

On March 24th 2015 HIT and Liverpool John Moores University’s Centre for Public Health presented a Hot Topics/Research in Focus Seminar looking at drug policy, with Johann Hari and Steve Rolles.

The process of welfare reform initiated by the coalition government on taking office in 2010 has had a number of implications for all people in receipt of social security, some of which are yet to be fully felt or understood. This seminar looked at recent developments from a policy perspective, and at likely future developments.

At this HIT Hot Topics Seminar, Kieran Hamilton discussed online drug user subcultures in relation to both illegal and novel psychoactive substances, the role of the Internet in the changing nature of drug use, and what this might mean for drug users, as well as drug policy, in the future.

Prescription drug misuse kills more people in the USA than heroin. Driven by aggressive marketing by big pharma in the States and some lax prescribing supported by poor regulation, these ‘quality’ products are one of the biggest emerging drug threats in the UK.

In this Hot Topics seminar Monty and Lyn explored patterns of drug use in their respective areas and suggested tips for how drugs services can best serve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.