medical marijuana

noun

variants or less commonly medical cannabis

: marijuana that is available only by prescription and is used to treat a variety of medical conditions (such as pain, anxiety, nausea, and glaucoma)

In the 14 states that allow medical marijuana, middle-aged baby boomers talk quite freely about filling their prescriptions at the local dispensary (of which there are nearly 1,400 in California alone).

—Eve Conant

also : any of various substances (such as cannabidiol) extracted from marijuana and used similarly

Examples of medical marijuana in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Millions use medical marijuana for health issues ranging from chronic pain to sleep. —Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2025

Last year, a bill to legalize medical marijuana in North Carolina was approved by the Senate, but the state House of Representatives failed to follow suit. —A.j. Herrington, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

But more than two-thirds of residents support legalizing medical marijuana, according to a poll commissioned by the Statesman. —Carolyn Komatsoulis, Idaho Statesman, 19 Mar. 2025

By the end of Trump’s term, 15 states had legalized recreational cannabis, and 33 states approved medical marijuana. —Matt Rozo, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for medical marijuana

• ana
• bwana
• dhyana
• donna
• fauna
• gonna
• mana
• sauna
• tswana
• wanna
• asana
• chicana

Medical Definition

medical marijuana

noun

variants also medical cannabis

: marijuana that is available only by prescription and is used to treat a variety of medical conditions (as pain, anxiety, nausea, and glaucoma)

also : any of various substances (as cannabidiol) extracted from marijuana and used similarly