Bill McCarberg is founder of the Chronic Pain Management Program for Kaiser Permanente. In the following viewpoint, he says that cannabinoids found in marijuana have been shown to be effective in reducing pain. He notes that much more clinical study is required and that it is difficult to balance the intoxicating and pain relieving effects of marijuana. Nonetheless, he concludes that cannabinoid pain relievers are very promising and hopes that they will soon become an important medical therapy for pain.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What are the three informal categories of cannabinoid, according to McCarberg?

2. What problems does McCarberg say arise when taking cannabinoids orally?

3. According to McCarberg, what problems are there with the quality of herbal cannabis sold through dispensaries?