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

The process has allowed Missourians to raise the minimum wage, legalize both recreational and medical marijuana and expand Medicaid in recent years. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025

Lawmakers did expand Texas’ medical marijuana program during the regular session, increasing the number of qualifying medical conditions, among other changes. —Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2025

The appeals court, however, disagreed, finding no basis, at least at this stage, for treating medical marijuana patients as criminals or dangerous. —Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

People who have applied for medical marijuana cards have had to share particularly personal health data to qualify. —Lily Hay Newman, Wired News, 19 Aug. 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