The role of morphine in regulating the mu-opioid receptor (MOR-1) relative to pain is wellestablished. Efforts are ongoing to elucidate the pharmacological significance of newly identified MOR-1 alternative splice variants. Aberrant splicing events have been implicated in a growing number of diseases, including cancer, but it is uncertain whether any pharmacological benefit may be derived from the use of these variants. Chronic use of opioids yields tolerance, withdrawal, and potentially fatal addiction. With current interests so high on developing marijuana as a marketable drug, there is concern whether its introduction as a mainstay may interfere with pain medications, such as opioids, for which there is a growing concern of epidemic proportions. We, therefore, hypothesized that the introduction of traditional herbal medicines while taking morphine would interfere with normal pain receptor functions.