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

Businesses with a processor license can process raw plant material into medical marijuana products. —Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 28 Oct. 2024

Currently, medical marijuana is legal in the state. —Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2024

So far, 38 states have legalized medical marijuana, while 24 states have legalized recreational cannabis. —A.j. Herrington, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024

Issue 3 would have revised the state's existing medical marijuana laws so that, among other things, medical professionals — not just doctors — would be able to sign off on medical marijuana cards, and patients ages 21 and up would be allowed to grow and process marijuana plants at home. —Worth Sparkman, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

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