Morphinization of mice (37.5 mg morphine) and rats (75 mg) with subcutaneously implanted pellets has resulted in tolerance to the antinociceptive effect of morphine, measured in the tail-immersion test. All animals also developed cross-tolerance to the analgesic effects of ethanol (2.8 g/kg intraperitoneally for mice, per os for rats). These results suggest a commonality between morphine and ethanol antinociceptive action.