title: Marihuana vs. alcohol: a pharmacologic comparison.
abstract: A review of the pharmacology, behavior, toxicity and therapeutic actions of alcohol and marihuana shows many similarities between the two drugs and few striking differences. Both drugs have fundamental non-specific actions on the neural membrane in common with the sedative-hypnotic-anesthetic group of drugs. They differ mainly in the quantitative aspects of their action owing to variation in 1) the ratio of stimulant to depressant effects, 2) their distribution in the body because of the greater lipid solubility of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9THC), 3) the route of intake and 4) in their metabolic transformation. Despite marked contrasts in potency, toxicity and therapeutic potential as a result of these differences it is proposed that the proper pharmacologic classification of both drugs is in the sedative group based on their activity at non-toxic levels rather than regarding marihuana as a primary hallucinogen as presently done in many texts.
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication; D000818:Animals; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002188:Cannabis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000506:poisoning; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D004285:Dogs; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines; D012701:Serotonin; D000431:Ethanol