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

Federal drug policy has lagged behind that of many states in recent years, with 38 having already legalized medical marijuana and 24 legalizing its recreational use. —Kristine Gill, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024

Voters in Nebraska will decide whether to legalize medical marijuana in the November election, state officials announced last week. —A.j. Herrington, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024

The Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program — which regulates the legal cultivation, production, sale and use of medical marijuana products — was signed by Gov. Beshear in March 2023, but it is set to officially start Jan. 1, 2025. —Haley Bemiller, The Courier-Journal, 6 Aug. 2024

Braun, who is currently running for governor, does not support federally legalizing recreational marijuana, but has expressed openness to proposals on medical marijuana at the state level, said Zacharie Riddle, a spokesperson for Braun’s Senate office. —Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 17 May 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