Today alcohol and many types of chemical substances are taken by everyone in the world. Different types of drugs are taken that are extracted from various types of plants and made in laboratories.
Alcohol and Cannabis are thought to be the same, but they have very different nature and works very differently.
Key Takeaways
- Cannabis is a psychoactive plant with effects such as relaxation, altered perceptions, and increased appetite.
- Alcohol is a widely consumed substance that can cause euphoria, impaired coordination, and lowered inhibitions.
- Alcohol has a higher social acceptance, while cannabis is subject to varying legal restrictions and perceptions worldwide.
Cannabis vs Alcohol
The difference between Cannabis and Alcohol is that they both are found in different forms and work very differently. Cannabis is extracted from the plant called cannabic, whereas Alcohol is synthetically made in laboratories. Cannabis can have psychoactive effects and contains cannabinoid chemicals which also have beneficial effects. Alcohol is, on the other hand, used in many industrial applications.
A drug extracted from Cannabis plants and referred to as Marijuana is known as Cannabis.
They are chemical substances that are made from the harvested and dried flowers of the Cannabis plants. Their side effects include anxiety, paranoia, decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, etc.
Alcohol, used in alcoholic beverages are chemical substance present in drinks and causes the feeling of relaxation or drowsiness.
They have formed artificially in the labs and also made organically using the fermentation of fruits such as grapes. They have very severe effects when taken in high doses. Different types of Alcohol have different boiling points.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Cannabis | Alcohol |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A chemical substance extracted from the leaves and bud of the plant is known as cannabis. | A chemical substance that has an alkyl group that is attached to at least one hydroxyl group. |
| Formation | The Cannabis plants are the source of the cannabis drug which is grown outdoors or indoors. | They are made both naturally and through artificial means in the laboratory. They are made by different reduction reactions and fermentation reactions. |
| Properties | The two main chemicals found in cannabis are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). | They are liquids having a smell that can be like fruit, no color, and have a greater boiling point than alkane molecules. |
| Effects on the Brain | Cause the brain to become paranoid or to hallucinate. | It influences the mood and causes feelings like relaxation and pressure. |
| Uses | Has useful antispasmodic properties, helps in reducing seizure activity in children, and disorders. | They are used in various applications such as part of antifreeze substances, industry applications, in the formation of fuels, etc. |
What is Cannabis?
Cannabis is a Psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant, also known as Marijuana, weed, or pot. They are used both for drugs as well as recreational purposes and in various medicines.
The flowers from the cannabis plants are harvested and dried, and then it is used in drugs. Like Alcohol, They are also known for their calming and relaxing effects.
Formed from more than 120 components called Cannabinoids, they are widely used in testing various health disorders.
The short-term effects of Cannabis are :
- Giddiness
- Creativity and focus
- Increase in appetite
- Relaxation
Apart from the effects, they also have side effects such as nausea, lethargy, anxiety, issues with eh coordination, etc.
What is Alcohol?
Alcohol, also known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol, is an organic compound containing at least one hydroxyl functional group and is bonded to a carbon atom.
Used as a drug as well as alcoholic drinks such as wine and beer, and causes drunkenness. They are known as psychoactive and toxic substances and have now become very common as a part of alcoholic beverages taken by a large population.
They are meant to depress the central nervous system as they contain chemical substances.
High doses of it may have more effects, such as respiratory depression and drowsiness, and can go severe as coma or death. At lower doses, they include the feeling of talkativeness and euphoria and also act as a stimulant.
They have different effects for every person, as one can feel relaxed while someone else can feel restless.
There are also long-term health risks such as Liver disease, Pancreatitis, and Heart damage, and all are conclusions when Alcohol is consumed over a long period of time.
Main Differences Between Cannabis and Alcohol
- Cannabis is the type of drug extracted from the cannabis plants, whereas Alcohol is a chemical substance that is made from one or more hydroxyl groups attached to the alkyl group.
- The source of Cannabis is the genus of plants known as the Cannabis plant, and the drug is extracted from there, whereas Alcohol is made synthetically by adding a carbonyl group in the hydrogen atoms. Also, they are made from the fermentation reactions of organisms.
- Cannabis can cause paranoia and hallucinations because of the presence of chemical substances, whereas Alcohol causes relaxation, short-term memory loss, and euphoric feelings.
- Cannabis has medicinal properties and is used to reduce seizure activities and disorders, whereas Alcohol is used in various industrial applications and is used as an alcoholic beverage etc.
- The two main chemicals found in Cannabis are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), whereas Alcohols are used in various applications such as part of antifreeze substances, industry applications, the formation of fuels, etc.
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40429-017-0149-8
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166432816307823
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
The article is very informative and well-structured. The comparison table included was very helpful. I hope more people would read it.
The post is very informative, and also clears the confusion about both substances. It’s good to have clear and accurate information.
This article does a great job explaining the key differences between Alcohol and Cannabis. I found it very informative and well-structured. It is clear the writer did thorough research before writing this article.
The article does a great job of explaining not just the differences in how both substances affect the user, but the origin and nature of each substance as well.
I agree. The comparison table included was very helpful. It’s easy to compare both substances against each other
I found the article very enlightening. It’s good to see people becoming more educated on these topics.
After reading the article, it’s clear that there’s a lot of misinformation about both substances. The article does a great job of providing accurate and detailed information about both.
The article does a great job of explaining not just the differences in how both substances affect the user, but the origin and nature of each substance as well.