Scientists at
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090210092738.htm
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/news/title,2600,en.php
Friday, February 20, 2009
UK - Beat nicotine cravings with exercise
In spite of continued claims that marijuana is harmless, researchers keep finding ways that it harms the body. A new study from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia using imagining technology has found visible damage in the developing brains of teenagers who are heavy marijuana smokers. The affected areas of the brain are involved in memory, attention, decision-making, language and executive functioning skills. During the study, 14 heavy marijuana users, who were patients at a drug treatment center, were given a magnetic resonance imaging scan. The scan measures water movement throught brain tissues."The abnormal patterns of water diffusion that we found among the young men with histories of marijuana use suggest damage or an arrest in development of the myelin sheath that surrounds brain cells," said the study leader, Manzar Ashtari. "Myelin provides a coating around brain cells similar to insulation covering an electrical wire. If myelin does not function properly, signaling within the brain may be slower." The authors of the study conclude that early-onset substance abuse may alter the development of white matter circuits, especially those connections among the frontal, parietal and temporal regions of the brain, that could slow information transfer in the brain and affect cognitive functions. This study reinforces the idea that the adolescent brain may be especially vulnerable to risky behaviors such as substance abuse, because of crucial neural development that occurs during those years.
http://alcoholism.about.com/b/2009/02/05/teen-brains-damaged-by-heavy-marijuana-smoking.htm
USA - Marijuana May Raise Testicular Cancer Risk
Marijuana use may increase the risk of developing testicular cancer, in particular a more aggressive form of the disease, according to a U.S. study published recently. The study found that current marijuana users were 70 percent more likely to develop it compared to nonusers. The risk appeared to be highest among men who had reported smoking marijuana for at least 10 years, used it more than once a week or started using it before age 18, the researchers wrote in the journal Cancer. Stephen Schwartz of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, one of the researchers, said the study was the first to explore marijuana's possible association with testicular cancer. The study found the increased risk appeared to be in the form called nonseminoma testicular cancer. It accounts for 40 percent of cases and can be more aggressive and more difficult to treat, Schwartz said. Experts are unsure about the causes of testicular cancer, which often strikes men in their 20s and 30s. The disease is seen more commonly in men who have had an undescended testicle or have a family history of testicular cancer. Chronic marijuana use also can have effects on the male reproductive system including decreased sperm quality, they said.
http://www.javno.com/en/lifestyle/clanak.php?id=232267
Friday, April 11, 2008
Morgan Tsvangirai 's lawyer arrested.
Innocent Chagonda was arrested on Thursday for simply demanding the release of a helicopter hired by Morgan Tsvangirai for his presidential campaign, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and another lawyer said.
The helicopter had been confiscated by police and the pilot, a South African national, was detained on March 25 for alleged fraud and immigration transgressions. He spent nine days behind bars before being freed.
"As a party we feel this is a sustained effort on the part of the authorities against people who assist the MDC," spokesman Nelson Chamisa said.
"This is an onslaught which is not only happening in the rural areas, but even in the civil service as people who are perceived MDC supporters are being intimidated."
Zimbabwe is still awaiting the result of the presidential election on March 29. Mr Tsvangirai claims outright victory, but Mr Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) says there must be a run-off.
The opposition on Thursday ruled out Mr Tsvangirai's participation in any second-round vote, accusing Mr Mugabe and his regime of having launched a campaign of intimidation that would affect the true democratic result.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Farmers evicted from Zim
At least 60 white farmers have reportedly been evicted from their farms in Zimbabwe since the weekend after elections more than ten days ago. War veterans were moving on to white-owned farms. There are about 500 white farmers still operating in Zimbabwe after the government's controversial land reform programme in 2000.
Beginning in 2000, Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwean president began an effort to redistribute land from white holders (predominantly large farms) to 250 000 black Zimbabweans. In 2005, the government, led by central bank governor Gideon Gono, started making overtures that white farmers could come back. There were 400 to 500 still left in the country, but much of the land that had been confiscated was no longer productive. In January 2007, some white farmers signed long term leases but the government reversed course again and started demanding that all remaining white farmers leave the country or face jail.
Fear now grips white farmers in parts of Zimbabwe that recently witnessed fresh farm occupations by so-called war veterans. This follows statements by the war veteran’s leadership that they would defend the country against what they consider an invasion of the land by white people. Groups of people claiming to be war veterans have reportedly invaded several farms in Masvingo province over the past few days.
President of the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmer's Union, Trevor Gifford says: "It is a process of intimidation and retribution - those people who have been invading the farms are doing it on the instructions of their superiors - it is state sponsored - and the district and provincial party offices are involved in collecting people - paying them to invade these farms."
South African leader hits out at Zimbabwe's results delay
Zimbabwe's MDC opposition is taking legal action to get the results, but after days of delay, the High Court in Harare has only now begun considering the MDC's request for the immediate release of the election results.
Mr Zuma said Zimbabwe's election had become an international issue, and admitted it did not augur well to keep Zimbabwe and the rest of the world in suspense over the election results.
His comments were in stark contrast to those of his rival in South Africa, President Thabo Mbeki, who last weekend called the situation "manageable". On Monday, Mr Zuma met Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, when he visited Johannesburg for the day.
Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party is trying to persuade Zimbabwe's neighbours to take a more public stand, and said there had been a deafening silence in the region over the bloodshed in Zimbabwe.
