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Marihuana vs. alcohol: a pharmacologic comparison.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|January 11, 1975
Summary
Alcohol and marihuana share pharmacological similarities, acting non-specifically on neural membranes like sedative drugs. Their differences in stimulant/depressant ratios and metabolism suggest classifying marihuana as a sedative, not a hallucinogen.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
- Toxicology
Background:
- Alcohol and marihuana are widely used psychoactive substances with distinct societal perceptions.
- Current classifications often categorize marihuana separately from alcohol, frequently labeling it a hallucinogen.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and compare the pharmacology, behavior, toxicity, and therapeutic actions of alcohol and marihuana.
- To propose a revised pharmacologic classification for marihuana based on its fundamental actions.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature review was conducted.
- Pharmacological, behavioral, toxicological, and therapeutic data for both alcohol and marihuana were analyzed.
- Comparative analysis focused on similarities and differences in drug actions and properties.
Main Results:
- Both alcohol and marihuana exhibit fundamental, non-specific actions on neural membranes, similar to sedative-hypnotic-anesthetic drugs.
- Key differences lie in the ratio of stimulant to depressant effects, lipid solubility (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), route of intake, and metabolic transformation.
- Despite potency and toxicity variations, core actions align with sedative properties.
Conclusions:
- Alcohol and marihuana share significant pharmacological similarities, particularly at non-toxic levels.
- The data support classifying marihuana within the sedative drug group, challenging its common designation as a primary hallucinogen.
- A unified pharmacologic classification based on shared sedative mechanisms is proposed.