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General Science / Re: Would legalization of Marijuana increase general health?

« on: 01/02/2014 08:18:46 »

Seems to me that a fair amount of people throughout history have turned to "mind altering" drugs, e.g., alcohol and other intoxicants.

While alcohol plows through the body (if used heavily on a regular basis) and destroys livers, brains, etc., it does not seem that marijuana does this nearly as much. Indeed, the toxic dose of marijuana seems totally unapproachable (unless one is shot to death by police, drug dealers, a huge amount of pot falling on one, etc.).

I sure think that legalization of marijuana would save a lot of people from the ravages of the other intoxicants they may well otherwise turn to.

And as compared to cigarettes, for instance, pot is trivial in its harmfulness. (My mother died of ARDS [Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome], related to smoking cigarettes.) As compared to alcohol, pot has far fewer downsides, as much as I can see.

There is the old phrase, "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good!" (People attribute that to Voltaire.)

A lot of people are going to be using intoxicants -- we should let those be as harmless as we can.

Yours,

Caleb

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General Science / Re: Why does a pillow on my tummy make me sleep better at night?

« on: 09/11/2013 06:31:47 »

Related to this issue of heavy pillows on one's tummy, I was talking about this today with a teenager and she said that this might be related to a tendency people have to sleep on their stomachs. Very, very good insight, I told her.

Also I finally weighed my pillow today and it's between 5 and 6 pounds.

And really, since i have been doing this about 3 or 4 weeks ago, I haven't flipped onto my side and thereby bend my body into a fetal position for several hours several nights a week. Seems to me that this current heavy pillow arrangement removes the desire to go onto my side, etc., and it also very greatly encourages a better night's sleep.

Caleb

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General Science / Why does a pillow on my tummy make me sleep better at night?

« on: 26/10/2013 06:42:10 »

I sleep on my back at night with sofa cushions under my knees, following back surgery about 15 years ago. (I am a male, not quite 65.) Recently I have been sleeping with a heavy pillow on my tummy, weighing about 12 pounds or so, and I really sleep better with the pillow. Also, now I do not have the inclination at night to sleep on my side. Somehow this pillow seems to be activating something like a swaddling response, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

Yours, Caleb