Regular Marijuana Use Found To Have A Negative Impact On Teen Brains

Psychologists investigating the public health consequences of marijuana legalization have found a link between frequent cannabis use and cognitive decline, inattentiveness, memory decay and decreased IQ in teenagers.

The findings, which were presented recently during the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Annual Convention, found that brain imaging studies of regular marijuana users revealed significant changes in their brain structure, particularly when it comes to adolescents.

According to Dr. Krista Lisdahl, director of the brain imaging and neuropsychology lab at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, those scans revealed abnormalities in gray matter (the part of the brain associated with intelligence) in 16- to 19-year-old teenagers who had increased their cannabis use over the past year.

Those results remained even after researchers controlled for variables such as serious medical conditions, prenatal exposure to drugs and learning disabilities, she added. That could be problematic, given that recent research indicates that marijuana use among high school seniors had climbed from 2.4 percent in 1993 to 6.5 percent in 2012, that 31 percent of young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 reported using the drug in the last month.

“It needs to be emphasized that regular cannabis use, which we consider once a week, is not safe and may result in addiction and neurocognitive damage, especially in youth,” Dr. Lisdahl said in a statement Saturday. “When considering legalization, policymakers need to address ways to prevent easy access to marijuana and provide additional treatment funding for adolescent and young adult users.”

Citing a 2012 longitudinal study that followed over 1,000 participants from birth to age 38, Dr. Lisdahl noted that men and women who become addicted to marijuana can lose an average of six IQ points by adulthood.

Her presentation, “Neurocognitive Consequences of Chronic Marijuana Use: Preventing Early Onset Is Critical,” was one of three at the conference’s “Considering Cannabis? Potential Public Health Implications of Marijuana Legalization” symposium, held Saturday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC.

Also at the conference, Dr. Alan Budney of Darthmouth College warned that some legalized forms of marijuana contained higher research levels of THC – the substance responsible for most of its psychological effects. In his presentation, entitled “Clinical Epidemiology, Characteristics, Services and Outcomes for Youth With Cannabis-Use Disorders,” he explained that THC can increase the risk of depression, anxiety and psychosis in regular pot users.

“Recent studies suggest that this relationship between marijuana and mental illness may be moderated by how often marijuana is used and potency of the substance,” he explained. “Unfortunately, much of what we know from earlier research is based on smoking marijuana with much lower doses of THC than are commonly used today.”

People’s willingness to accept legalized medical marijuana has also had an impact on how risky adolescents perceive the substance to be, Dr. Bettina Friese of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in California explained in her seminar, “Is Legalization of Medical Marijuana Related to Youths’ Marijuana Beliefs and Behaviors?”

Dr. Friese presented results of a 2013 study of over 17,000 Montana teenagers that discovered marijuana use among teens was higher in counties where a greater percentage of people had voted to legalize the substance for medicinal purposes in 2004. Furthermore, teens living in those counties were less likely to view cannabis use as dangerous, suggesting that a more accepting attitude of medical marijuana could have an even stronger impact on teens than the actual number of medical marijuana licenses available, she added.

In February researchers reported that legalizing the use of marijuana resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of children requiring emergency medical attention for exposure to the drug. That study found that unintentional marijuana exposures to children under the age of 10 had increased 30.3 percent from 2005 to 2011 in states where its use had been legalized.

“Pediatricians, toxicologists and emergency physicians need to be willing to advocate for the safety of children to lawmakers as this burgeoning industry expands across the US,” said lead author Dr. George Sam Wang of the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center in Colorado. “As more states decriminalize marijuana, lawmakers should consider requirements – such as child-resistant packaging, warning labels and public education – to reduce the likelihood of ingestion by young children.”

KANYE WEST BUILDS A $5 MILLION HOSPITAL IN HIS HOUSE

Is Kanye West becoming paranoiac? Judging by his new craze, it seems like it might be the case. While Mr West has always been real protective of his love ones, he has apparently decided to take it to the next level now that he is a married man and a proud father. Yeezy is spending $5 million do build his own hospital in his house to make sure that his family is protected from any medical threats. The Daily Star newspaper reports:

"The special suite will include an X-ray machine, CT scanner, ultrasound and blood-taking facilities.

"Other celebrities such as Madonna have taken similar measures in the past, but not on such a grand and costly scale."

"The facilities will enable the family to monitor their sugar levels, cholesterol and blood pressure. They will also have a team of private doctors around the clock, daily visits from top nurses and a full paediatric team for North."

However, his wife Kim Kardashian is not convinced that it is a great idea as a source explained:

"Kim believes it's paranoid and a bit unnecessary. But she figures it can't do any harm, and he might prove to be right one day."

Sudan Summons U.S. Ambassador Over Assistance to Meriam Ibrahim

A diplomatic spat escalated Wednesday as Sudan summoned the U.S. ambassador over Washington's attempts to assist a mother who had been sentenced to death for refusing to denounce Christianity. Meriam Ibrahim, 27, was freed from death row on Monday but just one day later Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) re-arrested her at Khartoum's airport. The NISS, a shadowy and feared institution, said on its Facebook page that Ibrahim and her family had been attempting to travel to the U.S. with documents from the embassy of South Sudan, which split from its northern neighbor in 2011 after years of civil war. It said she was carrying a U.S. visa, and that her attempts to use the documents were considered a "criminal offense."

Ibrahim's husband, Daniel Wani, is a naturalized U.S. citizen who said upon his wife's release that he wanted to start a new life in the U.S. The State Department said Tuesday that officials were working with the Sudanese government "to secure [the family's] safe and swift departure from Sudan." However, Ibrahim's lawyer Elshareef Ali Mohammed told NBC News Wednesday that she had been transferred from NISS to police detention.

Nigerian Singer Offers Virginity in Exchange for Abducted Girls

Nigerian pop singer Adokiye

Haven't heard of Adokiye? Well, soon you will have. Either because she's a rising Nigerian pop star who looks like this: Or because she's a virgin?

In a recent interview with Showtime, 23-year-old Adokiye surprised everyone by confessing that she's a virgin.

What's more, she said she would give up her virginity in return for the release of the more than 200 girls Boko Haram kidnapped in mid-April.

“This is 11 p.m. in the night and do you know what I am thinking about? Those little girls, where they are and what could be happening to them. It is just unfair. They are too young. I wish I could offer myself in exchange,” she told Showtime.

“They are between 12 and 15 year old girls for Christ sake. I am older and more experienced. Even if 10 to 12 men have to take me every night, I don’t care. Just release these girls and let them go back to their parents.”

Of course she also said, in the same interview, that anyone who would like to deflower her must be prepared to buy her mother a private jet. But hey.

Let's face it: when it comes to Boko Haram extreme measures are needed.

It's been three months since the terrorist group snatched those girls and still nothing. Media attention has died down but Boko Haram hasn't. Yesterday, 60 more women and girls were reported kidnapped in northeast Nigeria.

Not everyone is applauding Adokiye's efforts to call attention to the issue, however. Some say she's more interested in drawing attention to herself:

Baada ya MTV MAMA 2014, Diamond Platnumz apata shavu jipya Afrika Kusini

Siku chache baada ya kumalizika kwa tuzo za MTV MAMA 2014, nyota wa muziki wa kizazi kipya Diamond Platnumz amesini mkataba mpya wa kufanya wimbo na Mafikizolo yaani (collaboration Song) ndani ya studio ya Kalawa Jazzmee inayomilikiwa na Oscar Hlongwane aka OSKIDO ambaye ni Director na Producer mkuu ndani ya studio hiyo lebel hiyo ina simamia wanamuziki wengi walio chini ya recording label hiyo baadhi yao wakiwa ni Mafikizolo, TKzee, Professor, Trompies, Malaika, na wengineo wengi ndani na nje ya Afrika.

Katika picha ya pamoja ni Theo Kgosikwe, Diamond Platnumz na Nhlanhla Sibongile Nciza ndani ya studio ya Kalawa Jazzmee.

Oskido akiwa ameshikilia tuzo walioshinda ya Best Collabo MTV MAMA 2014, iliyofanyika hivi karibuni ndani ya ukumbi wa ICC centre Durban, Kwazulu Natal.

Source: Oscar Hlonwane (Oskido)

MTV MAMA 2014: Mafikizolo wabeba tuzo kubwa, orodha kamili ya washindi

Safari ndefu ya ya mchakato wa tuzo za MTV (MAMA2014) Ulioanza rasmi April 16 baada ya kutangazwa majina ya nominees na kuanza kupigiwa kura imefikia ukingoni June 8 ICC Arena, Durba Afrika Kusini.

Kwa mujibu ya matokeo ya mchakato mzima, Tanzania hatubahatika kupata tuzo hata moja kati ya tuzo mbili alizokuwa anawania Diamond Platinumz (Best Male Artist na Best Collaboration).

Davido ndiye aliyebeba tuzo ya Best Male Artist na tuzo nyingine kubwa ya Artist of The Year. Na Tiwa Savage aliipeleka Nigeria tuzo ya Best Female.

Kundi la Mafikizolo kutoka Afrika Kusini ndilo lililonyakua tuzo kubwa zaidi usiku huo, tuzo ya Wimbo bora wa mwaka na wimbo wao maarufu wa Khona waliomshirikisha Uhuru. Pia likashinda tuzo ya kundi bora (Best Group).

Mafikizolo wanawania pia tuzo za BET katika kipengele cha Best International Act.

Moja kati ya surprise zilizowavuta wengi ni pale D’Banj alipoungana na Trey Songz jukwaani.

Macho ya watanzania na nguvu kubwa inaelekezwa BET ambako Diamond anawania tuzo ana kila dalili ya kuwazidi wenzake.

Hii ni orodha ya washindi:

Song of The Year - Khona-Mafikizolo feat Uhuru

Best Collaboration - Y-tjukutja – Uhuru feat DJ Buckz,                                    Oskido, Professor, Yuri Da Cunha

Best Music Video - Clarence Peters (Nigeria)

Best Francophone - Toofan (Togo)

Artist of the Year - Davido (Skelewu)

Best Hip Hop - Sarkodie (Ghana)

Best Group - Mafikizolo

Best New Act - Stanley Enow (Cameroon)

Best Female Artist - Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)

Best Male Artist - Davido (Nigeria)

Best Altenative - Gangs of Ballet (South Africa)

*Transform Today Award- Clarence Peters

Zitto Kabwe amjibu Sugu kuhusu tuhuma za kuhujumu kundi la Muziki Kigoma All Stars

Maelezo yangu kuhusu kazi za Kigoma AllStars/LEKADUTIGITE kwa NSSF na TANAPA.

Leo tarehe 29 Mei, 2014 Msemaji wa Kambi ya Upinzani kuhusu Habari, Michezo, Vijana na Utamaduni amenituhumu kuhusika na kinachoitwa ufisadi katika Shirika la TANAPA na NSSF.

Nasikitika kwamba katika hali niliyonayo ya kumwuguza mama yangu naingizwa kwenye siasa za majitaka. Kwa sasa nitatoa maelezo kwa ufupi ili kuondoa upotoshaji.

Kampuni ya LekaDutigite inamilikiwa na wasanii 15 ambapo kila mmoja ana hisa 5% ambazo niliwalipia ili waweze kushirikiana katika kazi zao. Hisa 25% zilizobakia zinamilikiwa na kampuni ya Gombe Advisors ambayo ni kampuni isiyofanya faida (Company limited by guarantee) na haina maslahi yeyote ya kibiashara (not for profit company). Hivyo Mimi binafsi sina maslahi yeyote ya kifedha zaidi ya kuwasaidia wasanii hawa katika kazi zao mbalimbali.

Wasanii wa Kigoma AllStars wamefanya kazi na TANAPA na NSSF, kazi ambazo zinajulikana na zipo. Kwa upande wa TANAPA wasanii hawa waliandaa kazi ya kuitangaza Hifadhi ya Saadani na walilipwa. Kwa upande wa NSSF wasanii hao walitunga wimbo na video yake NSSF - Kigoma All Stars (Official Song) na wimbo huo unatumika katika Shirika hilo. 

Vile vile walifanya matamasha mbalimbali ya kuhamasisha watu kujiunga na NSSF. Wasanii wa Kigoma All Stars wote ni wanachama wa Mfuko huo.

Katika kazi zote hizi Mimi binafsi sijafaidika kwa namna yeyote ile kifedha. Kauli yeyote ya kujaribu kuonyesha kazi hizi za wasanii ni ufisadi ni kauli za kusikitisha na kukatisha tamaa kwa mtu ambaye anajaribu kusaidia wasanii kufaidika na kazi zao za sanaa.

Toka mwaka 2012 nilipoanza kujitokeza kusemea wasanii watu kadhaa wenye maslahi na tasnia hii wamekuwa wakinikatisha tamaa na hata wengine kuona nimewaingilia kazi zao. 

Hivi sasa wasanii wa Kigoma AllStars ni wanahisa katika kampuni ya PERA Africa limited ili kufaidika na biashara ya miito ya simu. Yote haya nilifanya kwa uchungu nilionao kwa vijana wetu na sio kwa kutaka kufaidika kifedha. Nimeumizwa sana na tuhuma hizi za kuokoteza okoteza.

Inaniumiza zaidi kutokana na ukweli kwamba ninamwuguza mama yangu mzazi, kipindi ninachohitaji kutiwa moyo na kuombewa hata na maadui zangu kisiasa. Kipindi ambacho mama yangu yupo mahututi, tena mjumbe wa kamati kuu ya chama ambacho watoa tuhuma wanatoka, pole ninayopewa ndio hiyo. Hakuna namna ya kukosa ubinaadamu zaidi ya hivi.

Najua wajibu wangu ni kusimamia Mashirika ya Umma na nikiwa mpigania uwajibikaji nipo makini sana kuhakikisha sina mgongano wa maslahi katika mambo yangu. Ndio maana sina biashara yeyote ile ili kuhakikisha natimiza wajibu wangu kwa uadilifu mkubwa. Napata 'moral authority' ya kutaka uwajibikaji kwa sababu nafanya kazi zangu kwa misingi hiyo 'at arms length'.

Hivyo ninataka mara moja CAG afanye ukaguzi wa kazi za wasanii hao kwenye NSSF na TANAPA. Pia achunguze kama Gombe Advisors ( company limited by guarantee) ina maslahi yeyote ya kifedha katika kazi hizo za wasanii. Nataka pia Shirika la NSSF na TANAPA waweke wazi mchakato wa kazi zao na wasanii hawa kupitia LEKADUTIGITE Limited.

Zitto Kabwe

Mei 29, 2014

Dar Es Salaam.