This Hot Topics seminar examined the emerging threat to public heath from the increasing use of enhancement drugs and the services for users of these drugs both from a worker point of view and that of someone who uses PIEDs.

Ketamine is a very unusual drug with unique properties that divide the conscious from the unconscious. In the 1970s it attracted enthusiast psychonaughters who explored the spiritual realms or unconscious states accessed through the use of ketamine. In the 1990s a new generation of ketamine takers emerged who used small doses of ketamine to enhance dancing to house music either as an adjunct to ecstasy (MDMA) or on its own.

On 19 July, Stephanie Davies, founder of Laughology and Alan Matthews, freelance trainer talked us through the theory underpinning laughology and gave examples of how we might use it in work with people who use drugs. Along the way, there were plenty of laughs and a couple of (almost) embarrassing activities that had the whole room cracking up.

Cannabis continues to be a popular drug in the UK, although the strains of the drug itself, and the research relating to its use are always developing, so on the 19th June (2012) we held a Cannabis seminar in Warrington.

On 8th May 2012 HIT held a Legal Highs seminar in Warrington. The speakers for this were Dr. Russell Newcombe and Dr. Harry Sumnall. Both Russell and Harry spoke about how unhelpful news reporting has been around legal highs, with news headlines like “Man rips off own scrotum”, they also both worked to put the current views of legal highs into some historical context.

On March 25th Jacquie Johnston-Lynch described the pain that brought her into the addiction field and how she became ready to become purposeful in all aspects of her life as a result of the debilitating effects of that pain. She also explored the more pertinent issues to staff and clients alike in relation to living a life on purpose.