Book excerpt: This User's Guide covers the widely traded cactus family and how it is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The text is written for the non-expert and the guide explores the major groups of cacti in trade, their distribution, conservation status, use and levels of trade as well as the likelihood of illegal trade. All CITES Appendix I taxa are covered in detail and a wide selection of the Appendix II taxa. Major exemptions from CITES regulations are also outlined, including cacti not covered by CITES. The guide includes a fully illustrated PowerPoint training presentation with comprehensive speaker notes on CD-ROM.